Volume 36, Issue 5, September-October 2024, Page 410-426. Read the full article ›

The post “A little love is enough for me to live my life…”: Precarity and resilience among older sex workers in India was curated by information for practice.

Organizational Research Methods, Ahead of Print. When modeling responses to items measuring non-cognitive constructs that require introspection (e.g., personality, attitude), most studies have assumed that respondents follow the same item response process—either a dominance or an unfolding one. Nevertheless, the results are not equivocal, as some preliminary evidence suggests that some people use an unfolding […]

The post One Size Does Not Fit All: Unraveling Item Response Process Heterogeneity Using the Mixture Dominance-Unfolding Model (MixDUM) was curated by information for practice.

Abstract Objectives Higher education students experience elevated levels of suicidal ideation, but often face barriers in accessing support. The Mental Imagery for Suicidality in Students Trial (MISST; ISRCTN13621293; NCT05296538) tested the feasibility and acceptability of a six-session imagery-based approach called Broad-Minded Affective Coping (BMAC). This qualitative evaluation explored the experiences of MISST participants and staff. […]

The post A qualitative study exploring participants experiences of the Mental Imagery for Suicidality in Students Trial was curated by information for practice.

Abstract Background Taken together, prior publications on the association between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) suggest a bi-directional relationship, but all the studies only focus on one direction in this relationship. Aims To examine, in longitudinally collected data, period-specific within-individual change in anxiety and depression measures preceding […]

The post Examining the reciprocal associations between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system was curated by information for practice.

ABSTRACT Introduction Individuals with schizophrenia present anomalies in the extension and plasticity of the peripersonal space (PPS), the section of space surrounding the body, shaped through motor experiences. A weak multisensory integration in PPS would contribute to an impairment of self-embodiment processing, a core feature of the disorder linked to specific subjective experiences. In this […]

The post Peripersonal Space Plasticity in Relation to Psychopathology and Anomalous Subjective Experiences in Individuals With Early‐Onset and Adult‐Onset Schizophrenia was curated by information for practice.

The post General call for papers: Journal of Diversity in Higher Education was curated by information for practice.

The post The Consequences of AI use on Society and Policy (Due by Oct 31) was curated by information for practice.

The post The Beauty of Science 2025: Call for Submissions (Deadline for submissions is Nov 22) was curated by information for practice.

The post Care Inspectorate: Help us improve our equality outcomes was curated by information for practice.

The post CfP: eXtended Reality applications in health psychology and well-being: From Research to Practice (Submission deadline: April 15) was curated by information for practice.

The post CfP | Decolonizing the University: A Route to Intersectional (In)Equity? was curated by information for practice.

The post CfP: Global diversity and disparity in mental health and brain health (Deadline: 1 April) was curated by information for practice.

The post CfP: Intellectual Humility in the Workplace – Is it good for employees? (Due by 1 May) was curated by information for practice.

The post CfP: Perspectives on Politics: Political Science and the University (Deadline 8/1/25) was curated by information for practice.

From foundry-inspired knobs to playful wall hooks, Viefe's new hardware makes it easy to add the finishing touches to a space.

With their unique forms, these 3D-printed lamps made from recycled plastic by Emil Robbrecht bring a playful element to your home.

Auer Hall, Simon Music Center
Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 8 – 10pm

Violinist James Ehnes is professor of practice in violin at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. A Grammy Award winner, Ehnes has established himself as one of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage as a concert soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

One of the most sought-after soloists and chamber music collaborators of his generation, Orion Weiss is widely regarded as a “brilliant pianist” (The New York Times) with “powerful technique and exceptional insight” (The Washington Post). He has dazzled audiences with his passionate, lush sound and performed with dozens of orchestras in North America including the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic.

More info: events.iu.edu…

IU Auditorium
Sunday, December 1, 2024, 3pm

Get ready to PAW-ty like never before in a fun-tastic new PAW Patrol Adventure!

After Chase, Marshall, Skye, and the gang save Adventure City with their Mighty Pup Powers, it’s time for the paw-some-est street party ever. But when supervillain scientist Victoria Vance feels left out of the festivities, she unleashes her latest invention to crash the party and steal the spotlight for herself! Can the Mighty Pups, armed with their super-charged powers, outsmart Victoria to ensure Adventure City’s biggest bash goes off without a hitch? It’ll take the power of paw-sitivity and mighty teamwork to foil her plans and keep the party pumping!

With heroic action, catchy tunes, and bark-loads of interactive fun, PAW Patrol’s electrifying new adventure is sure to leave tails wagging and audiences cheering!

Cost: Starting at $30
Ticket Web Link: am.ticketmaster.com…
Communities: Bedford, Bloomington, Brown County, Columbus, Franklin, French Lick/West Baden, Greencastle, Greene County, Greensburg, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Martinsville, Seymour, Spencer, Statewide, Terre Haute
More info: www.iuauditorium.com…

IU Auditorium
Sunday, December 1, 2024, 11am

Get ready to PAW-ty like never before in a fun-tastic new PAW Patrol Adventure!

After Chase, Marshall, Skye, and the gang save Adventure City with their Mighty Pup Powers, it’s time for the paw-some-est street party ever. But when supervillain scientist Victoria Vance feels left out of the festivities, she unleashes her latest invention to crash the party and steal the spotlight for herself! Can the Mighty Pups, armed with their super-charged powers, outsmart Victoria to ensure Adventure City’s biggest bash goes off without a hitch? It’ll take the power of paw-sitivity and mighty teamwork to foil her plans and keep the party pumping!

With heroic action, catchy tunes, and bark-loads of interactive fun, PAW Patrol’s electrifying new adventure is sure to leave tails wagging and audiences cheering!

Cost: Starting at $30
Ticket Web Link: am.ticketmaster.com…
Communities: Bedford, Bloomington, Brown County, Columbus, Franklin, French Lick/West Baden, Greencastle, Greene County, Greensburg, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Martinsville, Seymour, Spencer, Statewide, Terre Haute
More info: www.iuauditorium.com…

IU Auditorium
Saturday, November 30, 2024, 2pm

Get ready to PAW-ty like never before in a fun-tastic new PAW Patrol Adventure!

After Chase, Marshall, Skye, and the gang save Adventure City with their Mighty Pup Powers, it’s time for the paw-some-est street party ever. But when supervillain scientist Victoria Vance feels left out of the festivities, she unleashes her latest invention to crash the party and steal the spotlight for herself! Can the Mighty Pups, armed with their super-charged powers, outsmart Victoria to ensure Adventure City’s biggest bash goes off without a hitch? It’ll take the power of paw-sitivity and mighty teamwork to foil her plans and keep the party pumping!

With heroic action, catchy tunes, and bark-loads of interactive fun, PAW Patrol’s electrifying new adventure is sure to leave tails wagging and audiences cheering!

Cost: Starting at $30
Ticket Web Link: am.ticketmaster.com…
Communities: Bedford, Bloomington, Brown County, Columbus, Franklin, French Lick/West Baden, Greencastle, Greene County, Greensburg, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Martinsville, Seymour, Spencer, Statewide, Terre Haute
More info: www.iuauditorium.com…

IU Auditorium
Saturday, November 30, 2024, 10am

Get ready to PAW-ty like never before in a fun-tastic new PAW Patrol Adventure!

After Chase, Marshall, Skye, and the gang save Adventure City with their Mighty Pup Powers, it’s time for the paw-some-est street party ever. But when supervillain scientist Victoria Vance feels left out of the festivities, she unleashes her latest invention to crash the party and steal the spotlight for herself! Can the Mighty Pups, armed with their super-charged powers, outsmart Victoria to ensure Adventure City’s biggest bash goes off without a hitch? It’ll take the power of paw-sitivity and mighty teamwork to foil her plans and keep the party pumping!

With heroic action, catchy tunes, and bark-loads of interactive fun, PAW Patrol’s electrifying new adventure is sure to leave tails wagging and audiences cheering!

Cost: Starting at $30
Ticket Web Link: am.ticketmaster.com…
Communities: Bedford, Bloomington, Brown County, Columbus, Franklin, French Lick/West Baden, Greencastle, Greene County, Greensburg, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Martinsville, Seymour, Spencer, Statewide, Terre Haute
More info: www.iuauditorium.com…

Auer Hall, Simon Music Center
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 2 – 3:15pm

Peter Ellefson is professor of music in trombone at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he was previously chair of the Brass Department.

More info: events.iu.edu…

202 E 6th Street
Ongoing through Saturday, December 28, 2024

Senior cords, decorated corduroy pants and skirts popular with high school and college seniors, are a unique piece of Hoosier heritage. This exciting exhibit guest-curated by Kelly Richardson (Director of IU Sage Collection) follows their history from their Purdue University origins through their high school heyday in the 50s and 60s and up to their contemporary revival in bespoke fashion brands like BODE.
Exhibit is currently open and closes Dec. 28th

On view at the Monroe County History Center
202 E. 6th St
Bloomington, IN 47408
Visit monroehistory.org for hours, pricing, and parking information.

Presenter: www.monroehistory.org
Contact: Sarah Rosenkrans
Age Range: All Ages
Cost: $2 adults, $1 kids, free for members and ages under 5
Communities: Bloomington
More info: www.monroehistory.org

NW Natural talks up its climate strategy, but new legal challenges say the company has spent years lying about the environmental impact of natural gas. by Taylor Griggs

For years, environmental advocates have said NW Natural attempts to obfuscate the negative climate and health impacts of natural gas utilities in order to remain dominant in the market. NW Natural, Oregon’s largest gas utility operation, has responded to such allegations with fierce resistance, promoting its service as more climate-friendly than electric alternatives and talking up plans to go greener in the future. 

But two lawsuits filed against NW Natural earlier this month put a spotlight on its alleged greenwashing practices, arguing the company has knowingly disenfranchised customers and contributed to the climate crisis. The first lawsuit, filed on October 7, adds NW Natural to Multnomah County’s existing legal challenge against several other oil companies for their role in perpetuating the deadly 2021 heat dome event. Just two days later on October 9, two NW Natural customers filed a class action suit against the company for falsely representing a program it says will offset the carbon emissions caused by customers’ natural gas use. 

Many Oregonians rely on gas heat appliances, whether to heat their homes or power their stoves, and nearly all of them have NW Natural as their service provider. NW Natural serves more than two million people across Oregon and southwest Washington, and is the only gas utility company serving Multnomah County. 

Proponents of natural gas say gas utilities are economical, efficient, and reliable in the case of power outages. But scientists and environmental experts say there are major downsides, too. Residential and commercial energy use accounts for about 20 percent of Oregon’s carbon emissions—the second largest category after transportation—and natural gas combustion accounts for a sizable portion of those emissions. Methane leaks from gas appliances also have a major climate impact, with gas stoves in particular emitting planet-warming greenhouse gasses even when they’re not in use. 

And if the environmental harm wasn’t enough, recent studies also show gas stoves are worse for human health than previously thought, with clear connections to carcinogenic pollutants. Long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves has also been shown to lead to tens of thousands of cases of childhood asthma. 

As experts have sounded the alarm on all the impacts of gas utilities, environmental advocates and lawmakers have ramped up efforts to move Oregonians away from natural gas. The Portland Clean Energy Fund, for example, has invested tens of millions of dollars in deep energy retrofit projects, which will replace fossil fuel-reliant heating and cooling systems with electric systems. The program has invested millions more into building new, energy-efficient housing and commercial buildings. 

In resisting being pushed out of the market, the recent lawsuits say NW Natural has duped customers and pushed false propaganda about natural gas and the environment. 

Environmental advocates hope the legal challenges will have a practical impact on the company’s bottom line and enlighten the public.

Part of NW Natural’s public outreach strategy has been its sponsorship of community events, including those hosted by environmentally-minded organizations. In an effort to limit the gas utility’s greenwashing message, environmental advocates want local groups to cut ties with NW Natural, or think twice before accepting a future sponsorship deal. 

“NW Natural has a captive audience that trusts what their natural gas utility is telling them,” Carra Sahler, an attorney and director of Lewis and Clark Law School’s Green Energy Institute, tells the Mercury. “The more we can do to encourage skepticism, the better, and the easier it will be for people to make a switch [to electrify their homes] and to feel good about making that switch.” 

County lawsuit alleges a history of greenwashing 

Multnomah County’s amended lawsuit says NW Natural’s carbon and methane emissions have been “a cause of enormous harm” to the county and its residents. But, the lawsuit says, you wouldn’t know that by listening to the gas utility company’s public messaging. 

The county’s lawsuit states NW Natural has emitted at least 72.1 metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the last few decades, but has “deceived the public by claiming its product is safe, clean, and environmentally friendly.” 

The lawsuit provides several examples of the company’s alleged deceitful practices. Some particularly egregious instances include attempts to influence children and the Oregon education system. In 2021, NW Natural offered activity booklets to schools containing colorful drawings and activities for children promoting natural gas. The company also tried to use a front organization to host a training session for teachers about renewable gas, offering a $200 stipend to each teacher who attended. The training was canceled after public backlash. 

An image in NW Natural's school activity book, included in the county's lawsuit. multnomah county attorney

The misinformation from NW Natural got so bad, state agencies had to step in.

Earlier this year, NW Natural distributed a newsletter to its customers containing misinformation about Oregon’s Climate Protection Program policy. The newsletter said the climate policy would not reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but would result in a 14 percent rate hike for all NW Natural customers. In response, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality made a statement disavowing NW Natural’s campaign against the state policy. 

“In summary, NW Natural has routinely misrepresented to the public the climate impacts of extracting, transporting, storing and burning their product while over-estimating the costs of transitioning to renewables or reducing their pollution in an effort to frighten customers and discourage policy makers from using their authority to protect the public,” the Multnomah County lawsuit states. 

Sahler commends the county for including NW Natural in the big oil lawsuit.

“NW Natural is a trusted provider of warmth in homes, part of the local fabric... It’s exciting to see the county taking action—it’s brave to take on one more fossil fuel interest, especially a local one,” she told the Mercury. “Multnomah County's lawsuit appropriately lumps Northwest Natural in with the other big fossil fuel companies that we know are problematic, and it helps people understand what we're dealing with here.” 

David Roy, NW Natural’s director of communications, told the Mercury the company is “disappointed the County is spending resources on litigation instead of on developing effective emission reduction policies that work for County residents and businesses.” 

“We will continue to pursue pathways that allow Oregonians, including low- and moderate-income customers, to have access to two energy systems—electric and gas—for their homes and businesses,” Roy said. “NW Natural will vigorously contest these claims should they come to court. Regarding the Multnomah County action, we believe adding the company to the suit at this later date is an attempt to divert attention from legal and factual flaws in the case.” 

Class action suit says customers were deceived about carbon offsets

While Multnomah County’s lawsuit hones in on misleading claims and practices, the class action lawsuit specifically targets NW Natural’s Smart Energy program, an additional monthly fee available to customers, ostensibly to offset the carbon emissions associated with their natural gas use. Upon further investigation, however, NW Natural sends this carbon offset surcharge to industrial dairy farms for questionable “manure digesters,” which generate energy from methane-producing livestock waste. 

The complaint says the relationship between “carbon offset” funds, like NW Natural’s Smart Energy program, and the industrial dairies may incentivize the expansion of factory farming and enable further livestock waste production. 

“Independent research demonstrates that, at best, the climate benefits of manure digestion are not well studied and remain unclear,” the lawsuit says. “At worst, emissions reductions are significantly overstated.” 

Nicolas Blumm, one of the plaintiffs in the Smart Energy case, tells the Mercury he signed up for the program shortly after becoming a NW Natural customer. Since he didn’t have much of a choice about his gas utility system, he wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible while doing it. 

Blumm said the additional payment for the Smart Energy program was small—last January, he paid about $5 extra on his gas bill—so he didn’t think about it much. But once he realized where the money was going, he felt taken advantage of. 

The Smart Energy lawsuit points out that “corporate claims regarding sustainability and lower climate impact are particularly difficult for consumers to verify” and “climate-conscious consumers are particularly vulnerable to climate-related ‘greenwashing.’” 

“People deserve to have a chance to be honestly informed,” Blumm said. “I don’t think you should have to dig through and make sure every dollar you’re giving NW Natural is going exactly where they say it is. If they say the program is going to make your service carbon neutral, that’s how it should be.” 

NW Natural in the community 

In addition to the two lawsuits, NW Natural recently faced a blow from the Oregon Public Utilities Commission (OPUC). Last week, OPUC ordered the company to phase out gas subsidies by 2027. These subsidies are also known as line extension allowances, which gas utility companies including NW Natural charge existing customers in order to pay for expanding natural gas infrastructure to connect new customers to the service. 

Line extension allowances have been criticized by renewable energy advocates as environmentally damaging and economically burdensome for customers. But Roy, the NW Natural communications director, told the Mercury the company is “disappointed with the Commission’s decision,” and believes its subsidy proposal “supports the state’s goals for increased housing and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Advocates hope the recent news about NW Natural will lead to change in the community’s relationship with the company. While many consumers don’t have a choice about whether or not they can pay NW Natural for their monthly gas utility service, local organizations have more flexibility. NW Natural frequently sponsors or co-sponsors events across the region, ranging from county fairs to the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) annual Sunday Parkways open streets events. At these events, the utility company often sets up a booth to share information about natural gas, which environmental advocates say is often misleading. 

PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer told the Mercury the bureau is “aware of the concerns” and hasn’t made sponsorship decisions for the 2025 Sunday Parkways season. 

Sahler, the attorney, told the Mercury, considering the harm burning natural gas has caused to the planet and to human health, she wants to see local leaders draw a line in the sand. 

“Fossil fuel companies are like tobacco companies. You wouldn’t have a tobacco company at [events like Sunday Parkways],” Sahler said. “At some point it has to be unacceptable to support a business that is poisoning us.” 

Plus, Nils Frahm and More Event Updates for October 31 by EverOut Staff

It’s Halloween! Treat yourself to tickets to see Tyler, The Creator on his Chromakopia tour. Country pop princess Kelsea Ballerini has also announced a stop at Moda Center next spring. Plus, Berlin-based pianist, composer, and producer Nils Frahm will set up his elaborate vintage gear at the Schnitz. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

MUSIC

Amyl and The Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness Tour
Crystal Ballroom (Mar 25, 2025)

Ashe: The Trilogy Tour
Revolution Hall (June 17, 2025)

Daily Bread – Flash Flood Tour
Wonder Ballroom (Mar 22, 2025)

Polling data suggests voters see opportunities to strengthen local environmental policies and change course on issues like oil by rail. by Taylor Griggs

Portland has long been known for a strong ethos of environmentalism among its population. But with the increasingly dire nature of the climate crisis, environmental issues are playing a central role in this year’s election. Amid changes to city government and heightened focus on the efficacy of Portland’s Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), residents and City Council candidates see an opportunity to shift gears on climate action. 

Survey data released earlier this week show Portland voters are especially concerned with how the future City Council will handle PCEF and the Zenith Energy oil terminal. Both topics have been controversial for current City Council members, most of whom are running to remain in City Hall. According to the survey results, Portland voters are more likely to support candidates who support strengthening PCEF and who oppose Zenith. 

The poll was conducted by progressive polling firm Data for Progress and Lead Locally, an organization that works to address climate change through local elections. It’s a point-in-time assessment of 579 likely Portland voters from October 4-9. Though this is a small fraction of Portland voters, the poll’s findings have been reflected in messaging from many City Council candidates throughout the campaign season. 

Take PCEF, a program approved by a 2018 ballot measure that collects a 1 percent tax on local big business sales and uses it to pay for local carbon-reduction projects, especially in historically disadvantaged communities. PCEF is overseen by Commissioner Carmen Rubio–a top candidate for mayor–in the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. 

Rubio directed major code changes at PCEF, transforming the program in alignment with the city’s climate goals, and has been commended for that work. But she’s been criticized for attempts to redirect PCEF money into struggling city programs. Fellow commissioner and mayoral candidate Rene Gonzalez also proposed funding unrelated programs, specifically public safety initiatives in his portfolio, with PCEF dollars. 

According to the voter survey, about 65 percent of likely Portland voters feel positively about PCEF, and would be more likely to vote for candidates who support strengthening the program. The majority of Council candidates, too, have expressed favorable views about PCEF. Most candidates, when asked in an Oregonian/OPB questionnaire, said they do not support putting PCEF back on the ballot, and want to make sure the program’s funds are only used for carbon-reduction projects. 

District 1 candidate Jamie Dunphy said he believes PCEF should be protected, and not used as a “slush fund or a general purpose sales tax.” District 2’s Marnie Glickman said “we are fortunate to have PCEF because climate resilience costs are rising,” and the program “shouldn’t be raided to fund other needs.” Similar sentiments were echoed among many of their peers.

A minority of candidates said they wanted to expand the uses for PCEF money by putting the measure back on the ballot. District 4 candidate Eli Arnold, for example, said he supports asking Portlanders to vote on PCEF again, and wants to “preserve the original projected size of the program and move the excess to the general fund.” Other candidates, such as Noah Ernst in District 1 and Melodie Beirwagen in District 3, said they’re concerned the tax has a negative impact on businesses in Portland. District 2 candidate Chris Olson had a different reason for wanting to put PCEF back on the ballot: He said he wants to increase the tax to 2 percent, ensuring "greater investment in renewable energy, green jobs, and economic justice." 

On the other side of the coin, the survey results show only 22 percent of Portlanders polled said they feel positively about Zenith Energy’s oil-by-rail terminal in the Northwest Industrial Area. Just under half of respondents said they have unfavorable views, with 32 percent saying they didn’t know enough to say. 

In 2022, the Portland Bureau of Development Services (BDS)—then overseen by Commissioner Dan Ryan, who is running for a seat in District 2—approved a land use permit for Zenith’s operations in Portland. The city previously denied the oil transport company a Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS), threatening Zenith’s future in the city. But city officials gave in after a lengthy legal battle, and a promise that Zenith would switch to renewable fuels. 

Environmental advocates doubted Zenith’s promise to switch to renewables, and said such a move wouldn’t protect Portlanders in the case of an earthquake and subsequent oil spill. When Rubio took over BDS in 2023, Zenith critics were hopeful for change, but the city maintained Zenith’s land use permit. Earlier this year, the Portland Elections Office found the oil transport company violated local lobbying rules while trying to get the permit approved, spending excessive time and money trying to court city officials, particularly Ryan and Rubio. 

More than two dozen people running for City Council have indicated they want the city to have a different relationship with Zenith. In an October 10 letter to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 27 candidates asked the agency to delay its decision making about Zenith’s Air Contaminant Discharge Permit. The candidates said given “the legitimate concerns of Portland organizations and community members,” they want the new City Council to have the opportunity to “review past city decisions, understand any potential enforcement liability, and weigh in during the public process.” 

Most of the candidates who signed the letter to the DEQ are from District 4, where Zenith’s facilities are located. Six of the candidates who signed hail from District 2, which would also be heavily impacted in the case of an oil spill in the Willamette River. The St. Johns neighborhood is directly across the river from Portland’s Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, which houses the Zenith terminal. 

Candidates who signed the letter include Mitch Green, Chad Lykins, Eli Arnold, and Olivia Clark (District 4), Brian Conley, Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Angelita Morillo (District 3), Jonathan Tasini, Nat West, and Marnie Glickman (District 2), and Doug Clove and Peggy Sue Owens (District 1). 

“Portlanders do not want or deserve to have their safety put at risk by trains carrying dangerous liquid fuels, whether it is oil or so-called ‘renewable fuels,’” the letter reads. “Portland residents should be protected by their government and that’s what we hope to do on city council.” 

Portland environmental advocates say they want stronger climate leadership from the new City Council. In a press release about the polling results, Oregon Sierra Club Director Damon Motz-Storey said it’s evident that “Portlanders widely support environmental justice.” 

“Portlanders are tired of fossil fuels and the dangers they present to our communities, our climate, and the natural world, so we see right through the efforts to greenwash the Zenith crude oil terminal,” Motz-Storey said. “Climate leadership in Portland requires a commitment to environmental justice and taking on our biggest polluters.” 

Worried? Try putting your head deep into this garbage gossip can for a few minutes. by Elinor Jones

Hello, and welcome back to the Trash Report! Like many people with mental illness, my home is a reflection of what is happening with the ol' brain—when depression is in the driver's seat, my house gets messy; when anxiety is calling the shots, the palace is pristine. And friends, being ONE DAY away from yet ANOTHER "most crucial presidential election of our time," I am literally out of things to organize! There is no more dust. I'm ironing? Your girl is not okay. I love this column for an excuse to look at something besides another very frightening poll, so let's get to the trash!

Make it Stop

As this election plummets to its final resting place, Kamala Harris has collected endorsements from such luminaries as Cardi B, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, Harrison Ford, and most of the Avengers.

I do believe that, despite this, she will win https://t.co/cOU7ZeWAKa

— Chase Mitchell (@ChaseMit) November 3, 2024

The most recent celebrity to come out for Trump was none other than the the famously antisemitic Mel Gibson, who shared his support only after Trump's Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden, which goes to prove just how much of a Nazi rally that definitely was.  

Feud Reports

On a recent episode of his podcast, Ted Danson apologized to Kelsey Grammer for carrying a grudge since they worked together on Cheers. Grammer graciously accepted the apology. But I am not graciously receiving this "gossip." What happened?! What was the argument about? Why do this on a podcast without giving us the tea? This is the same kind of bullshit "this is not who we are" 2016-era dignity that no longer is the vibe. We're petty now! Tell us who was mean! Danson went on to say "I feel like I missed out on the last 30 years of Kelsey Grammer." What celebrity planet was Ted Danson living on because I feel like the rest of us have seen far too much Kelsey Grammer in the past 30 years. Streaming services were basically invented to avoid reruns of Frasier. 

In much more interesting feuds, Martha Stewart alluded to one between her and fellow kitchen and lifestyle guru Ina Garten. Garten had claimed in her recent memoir that the women drifted apart after one of them moved to Connecticut. Stewart agrees that the rift had to do with a move, but it was Stewart moving into a federal prison. I would imagine it could feel complicated to be a public figure being friends with a felon, but I can guarantee that if one of my friends went to jail for a non-violent crime I wouldn't stop talking to them! I'd probably talk way too much to them, in fact. I just have so many questions. If Martha Stewart and I had been friends who fell out and she later reflected on it, she would be like "Elinor was there for me when I was in jail, but she was too there for me, and wouldn't leave me alone, and I was sick of talking about prison toilet wine, so that's when our feud started."

Targeted Anecdotes

The long-awaited sequel to The Gladiator is coming out soon and I could not have less interest in going to see it! That is, until Pedro Pascal revealed that he and Paul Mescal kissed in one take of a fight scene, and that might be the take they used in the movie, and I guess I'm going to go see Gladiator 2 now. Have the Wicked PR folks considered floating a rumor that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande kiss instead of hawking a green and pink version of every product on God's green earth? (And is there a pink earth? There probably will be soon!) 

At this point is there a category of merchandise that doesn’t have a Wicked tie-in? I’m half expecting my gynecologist to ask whether I want a pink or green speculum.

— Anika Chapin (@AnikaChapin) October 31, 2024

Love is Dead

Channing Tatum and Zoe Kravitz have allegedly called off their engagement after three years together, and just days after Tatum finally ended his years-long divorce saga with ex Jenna Dewan. This makes me think that Zoe Kravitz for sure never thought that Tatum's divorce would ever be finalized when she said yes to that ring. Tatum has been spotted around New York City smoking cigarettes, but holding them in a way that makes me think he hasn't smoked before; starting smoking at 44 is hilarious, but also very hot and chic!

In other rebound choices, Gisele Bunchen revealed that she is pregnant with her third child, which will be her first since getting divorced from Tom Brady, and the first with her boyfriend, who is also her longtime Jiu-Jitsu instructor. Tom Brady is reacting to it like any normal 30-year-old woman and posting Fleetwood Mac lyrics to his Instagram which is the most I've ever liked him. 

On Loss in the Modern Era

Helen Mirren recently waxed poetically about tragic losses of beloved icons, specifically Kurt Cobain, and specifically that Kurt Cobain's early demise in the 90s meant that he never got to experience the magic that is a GPS system. Iconic music producer Quincy Jones passed away just yesterday. He would have seen GPS. Does Helen Mirren not think this is as sad of a loss, because at least he died with the immense satisfaction of having watched a little dot that represented his car being driven towards a destination, thus making it a full and worthwhile life? Helen Mirren has yet to comment. 

Trash Pandas In the News

A Sam's Club in Maryland had to shut down last week due to a racoon breaking into their bakery. A statement from the store read "after attempts to locate the raccoon were unsuccessful, Sam's Club representatives were advised best practices to properly capture the animal." Which means that during the initial attempts to capture the animal, they had no idea what the best practices were, and it must have been so funny. Imagine that raccoon's surprise to learn that there is a way to eat croissants, pre-trash? Going back to garbage pastries after that has got to be a bummer. Anyway, as the kids say, "in da clerb we all fam," but the clerb is a Sam's Club. Sam's Clerb, as it were.

Okay, I just realized there's a bookshelf in my office that I haven't yet reorganized and if I don't do that right now it will make it so college-educated women in Michigan won't turn out in numbers, which makes a lot of sense when you think about it. I hope you get through the next few days okay. If you process stress by being around people, the Mercury is going to hold an election night party hosted by the more extroverted of us. Meanwhile, we indoor kids will be live-blogging as the night goes on, so check back here if that's something you can handle. Thank you for reading and for voting and for being cherished members of the dumpster pile. 

Nervously,

by Mercury Promotions

Look, nobody wants to be alone on election night—so why not spend it with the Mercury, two of our fave stand-up comics, and all your friends?

The Merc, along with our pals at Mississippi Studios are hosting an election night watch party TONIGHT, Tuesday, November 5, with special guest hosts, comedians Alex Falcone and Shain Brenden! Both are former winners of the Portland's Funniest Person contest as well as the Mercury's Geniuses of Comedy, and as the results roll in on the big screen, Falcone and Brenden will be entertaining everyone with hilarious comedy, spicy political takes, and welcoming some very special surprise guests as well!

Best of all, our election night party is FREE—so grab your friends and show up for a night of (hopefully) celebration for our first woman president and lots of laughs.

The Official Portland Mercury Election Watch Party—hosted by Alex Falcone and Shain Brenden

Tuesday, November 5, 6:30 pm

Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi

FREE (21+ only)

by Wm. Steven Humphrey

If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND. 

As we wake to face a repeat of authoritarian rule, I wanted to share something I wrote last night during our election live blog:

We can look into the darkness and choose to hide there, or we can do like we did in 2016 and rise up. You can bet that’s what we here at the Mercury will be doing. We consider it a privilege to be able to stand up for the voiceless and fight against the rising tide of hatred. We’ve been doing it for the past 24 years, and there is absolutely no way we’re going to stop now.

But we will need your help, because now there are millions of people across the country who will need your assistance as well. We can do it together, because we’ve done it before and we know what it takes. Cry, scream, yell, and grieve—and then get a good night’s sleep. Because tomorrow, we’re going to need that roaring fire that burns inside each of us to continue protecting those who need it most. We believe in you. You are strong enough to face the road ahead, and we’ll be right there beside you. 

Now, let's look at the news.

IN LOCAL ELECTION NEWS:

• While we can expect more results to drop from Multnomah County elections, the current leader for mayor of Portland (and by a wide margin) is trucking company owner Keith Wilson. That said, Multnomah County officials say that up to 50 percent of the votes have yet to be counted, which could throw a lifeline of hope to second place candidate Carmen Rubio, and probably won't be any help at all to distant third place challenger Rene Gonzalez, har-har hardy-har-har. (While we may fear for the intelligence of half the country, at least the majority of Portland knew enough to "#Don't Rank Rene.")

Per prelim results Tues (subject to change):

Wilson got 36% of 1st-choice votes, nearly 2x that of Gonzalez or Rubio.

Our Oct poll (30% undecided) showed RG 23% of 1st-choice, Wilson 18%.

Many thought RG would get up to 35%.

Instead, he cratered.https://t.co/05C4hPAi6J https://t.co/kOJ4jLaBVO

— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) November 6, 2024

• In the race for a new—and hopefully greatly improved—Portland City Council, here are the current leaders (expect another ballot drop from the county at 6 pm tonight) in each district... as described with emojis:

DISTRICT 1 (East Portland): Candace Avalos ????, Loretta Smith ????, and Jamie Dunphy ????.

DISTRICT 2 (North Portland): Current City Commissioner Dan Ryan ????, along with candidates Sameer Kanal ????, and Elana Pirtle-Guiney ????.

DISTRICT 3 (Central and Southeast Portland): Angelita Morillo ????, Tiffany Koyama Lane ????, and Steve Novick ????.

DISTRICT 4 (West Portland/Downtown/Sellwood): Olivia Clark ????, Mitch Green ????, and Eric Zimmerman ????.

In short, our newest city council so far has a progressive majority, which will be especially helpful in facing the next four years of YOU KNOW WHO ????.

• Meanwhile there were two races of note for Multnomah County Commissioners: Megan Moyer was elected as commissioner for District 1 and Shannon Singleton will represent District 2 on the County Board of Commissioners. Moyer defeated Vadim "I'll run for any office that will have me... what do you mean they won't have me?" Mozyrsky, while Shannon Singleton (who is soundly beating Sam "Second most unlikable politician in town" Adams) will most likely represent District 2. Another big progressive win.

• And how did the state measures fare? As of this morning, Measure 115 (allowing the Oregon state legislature to impeach and remove awful elected politicians) is winning big, 63 percent to 37 percent. Measure 116 (giving an independent commission the power to set salaries for some state lawmakers) is most likely a "no," and is leading the "yes" vote count by 10 percent. Measure 117 (implementing ranked-choice voting for state and federal offices) is sadly a big "NO" after being defeated 60 to 40 percent. The nice, but misguided Measure 118 (establishing a minimum tax on certain corporations, with the proceeds going toward a $1600 tax rebate for all Oregonians) went down in flames 79 to 21 percent, and Measure 119 (making it easier for cannabis workers to unionize) is also a probable "YES," currently leading the "no thank you's" by ten percent.

• As expected, it was a good night for Democrats running for state office, with Tobias Read winning Oregon Secretary of State, Elizabeth Steiner taking the state treasurer position, and Dan Rayfield snapping up the Attorney General spot. And while Dems Maxine Dexter, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, and Suzanne Bonamici won their races for US Representative, the most closely watched federal contest in the state is still nail-bitingly close: Dem Janelle Bynum currently leads GOP darling Lori Chavez-DeRemer by two percentage points.

Stay tuned to the Mercury over the next few days, as more election results are solidifying! And don't forget to check out our Election Night Live Blog for all the blow-by-blows from last night's rollercoaster of events.

IN OTHER LOCAL NEWS THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT:

• Well, this is some bullshit: In a blatant attempt at impotent, political grandstanding, Commissioner (and mayoral loser) Rene Gonzalez and fellow stooges Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan are scheduled to vote tomorrow to sink the current homelessness agreement it has with Multnomah County—and even more inexplicably insane—they don't even have a backup plan to replace it. Oh, but wait... there's more: This ridiculous, thoughtless stunt will cost the city $40 million that we don't have. (The new city council cannot arrive soon enough.) Our Courtney Vaughn has the infuriating details. 

• In a very different way to spend election night, two people were arrested and their cars towed following a street racing takeover event in North Portland. (Apropos of nothing, I voted for Tokyo Drift as my fave Fast & Furious movie.)

IN NATIONAL ELECTION NEWS:

• Well fartz, here we go again: Convicted felon and twice impeached former president Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris (in case you didn't hear). And while the GOP also held on to the Senate (Jeeeeesus Ch-rist!), the House is still a toss-up and we won't hear for awhile about who won the presidential popular vote—though cash money says it'll be Kamala. And while I'm certain we'll all be hearing a lot of "blame game" antics today, try to resist pointing fingers at fellow Dems. The blame lies alone with those who refuse to educate themselves or be educated, and who let fear and racism rule their existence. Don't be one of them.

Donald Trump — the twice impeached former president, Jan. 6 coup leader, convicted felon, adjudicated sexual abuser, and man who mismanaged the 2020 economic implosion and coronavirus disaster that killed more than 1 million people in this country — has convinced American voters… pic.twitter.com/9cd0luvTFF

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 6, 2024

• Abortion was also on the ballot last night, with pro-abortion activists winning in seven states (Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New York, and possibly Missouri), while three other states (Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota) kept their draconian bans in place.

• The best headline of the day so far: "Sarah McBride becomes the first out transgender person elected to Congress." ????????????????

• In less-than-optimal election headlines: "Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will win reelection and defeat Democrat Colin Allred, CNN projects." "The world's right-wing leaders celebrate Trump's win — but America's allies hint unease." "Trump legal team planning to move swiftly to get all criminal cases brought to a halt." And possibly the most obvious headline of the day: "Racism, sexism partly to blame for Harris defeat."

They want you to feel powerless and surrender and let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.

— Rebecca Solnit/joy is a strategy (@RebeccaSolnit) November 6, 2024

• And finally... let's cleanse that timeline with some good news that—a new baby hippo is in town! (Cold comfort... but right now I'll take it.)

Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing… Haggis ????????????????????????????

Otto and Gloria have welcomed an ADORABLE pygmy hippo calf! She is doing well, but we’ll be keeping the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time ???????? pic.twitter.com/ceGtARuzyR

— Edinburgh Zoo (@EdinburghZoo) November 4, 2024

With standout jammers and unmatched teamwork, Wheels of Justice dominates the track to claim Women's Flat Track Derby Association's highest honor. by Corbin Smith

On Sunday in beautiful Portland, Oregon, Rose City Rollers' Wheels Of Justice—an all-star squad of the best of the best skaters in Portland’s longtime roller derby league—clinched a 141-104 victory over St. Louis, Missouri’s Arch Rival All-Stars and won the sport's highest honor: the Hydra Trophy.

The teams played neck and neck in a tight first half, but Rose City came out in the second and dominated, due to slick skating from the team’s jammers—who jumped and stomped their way into a series of massive jams, putting the contest so far out of Arch Rival’s reach that a last minute Missouri team revival meant nothing.

This year’s event was the first Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) Global Championship since 2019. The Rollers’ executive director Kim Stegeman, AKA Rocket Mean, told the Mercury the pandemic was particularly hard on derby leagues, which made shoring up a competition field very difficult before now. “The last one we had was in Montreal in 2019, and then, you know, COVID hit," Stegeman said. "Rose City Rollers, we have 12 staff members, so we stayed alive during COVID. But a lot of leagues, who didn’t have staff or couldn't retain their venues—it took a lot of leagues a lot longer, a much greater struggle than Rose City had to come back.” 

Related: How Portland Became a Roller Derby Mecca

As I am a basketball writer drifting into an arena with a camera and some barebones knowledge of the proceedings, this recap will steer clear of hard analysis. But I can tell you this: it was sports. Major sports. 

Rose City Rollers jammer Loren Mutch clears a pack to rack up points for her team,
Wheels of Justice, during the WFTDA Global Championships. Corbin smith Springroll, a jammer for the Wheels of Justice, braces for a hit from Arch Rival
blocker KWoo! during a championship roller derby game Sunday, Nov. 3. corbin smith

Roller derby sets itself apart from mainstream sports in a number of noticeable ways. For one, WFTDA doesn't regulate player athletic wear, beyond team jerseys and safety gear. Personality is a close companion to the athleticism, and skaters can wheel under a nom de plume—such as Oona Roll or OMG WTF. There's also a strong emphasis on participation and teamwork, in place of pursuing excellence and submission to authority.

“People see roller skating and think, ‘I could do that,’" Stegeman explained. “As opposed to, if you're in high school, you don’t look at the soccer team and think, “I could walk on.”

The game itself is a nifty contraption that makes for good viewing. Each team fields five skaters. Four act like football linebackers trying to simultaneously make space for their team's jammer, while also blocking the opposing team’s from racking up points. For our mileage, we told them apart by the stars on their helmets—jammers have one and blockers do not—but of course they're also playing differently. Like in football, these blocking schemes can be quite technical, even as they are also dependent on everyone’s ability to move side to side on roller skates. 

Wheels of Justice blockers Tenacity (front) and Tarantula (back) keep an Arch Rival jammer
contained during the championship game between Portland and St. Louis. corbin smith Fans cheer during the championship game between Portland's Rose City
Rollers and St. Louis, Missouri's Arch Rival Roller Derby. corbin smith

Sooner or later, a jammer breaks out. Whenever this happens—through a spin or a glide past a solid blocking construction, a straight up running leap on roller skates, or a high step that makes my ankles hurt by association—it's an act of genius athletic work. Then, the jammer busts down the track, and when it’s all perfect, they slip past everyone untouched, scoring four points before anyone has a second to think about it. It’s a thing of beauty.

Loren Mutch, one of the Wheels’ jammers, did a lot of this: slipping and sliding to victory on Sunday. At one point, I watched her break out of the pack, sprint through the stretch, confront the pack, avoid everyone, circle the track again, and slip past the defenders to net a whopping 23 points for Rose City.

Even after the team's win, Mutch deflected any attempts at compliment, saying: “I had a lot more penalties than I would have liked, and that was a bummer for me. But I feel like I drew so much courage from my teammates, and my teammates have my back, so it helped put a little fire under me.”

Asked how she learned to slip past a wall of people on roller skates, Mutch credits "a lot of practice." Her teammate, Mia Palau has a different take: “She has magic feet, and she’s a hard worker—seriously the hardest worker in the game.”

“And so is Mia,” Mutch adds. “Mia has one mode, and it’s a hundred percent.”

The two players credit months of practice for the win. Mutch highlights "the trust we have in each other.” Palau notes the team's extensive preparation, saying: "We really study our opponents, respect our opponents, so we always step on the track with our homework already done.”

While the WFTDA Global Championships concluded the all-star season of play, Portlanders can still catch plenty of derby in the Hangar at Oaks’ Amusement Park, 7805 Southeast Oaks Park Way, schedule and more info at rosecityrollers.com

A Portland City Council discussion that could've ended a collaborative agreement, without a backup plan in place, has been scrapped a day after the election. The move would've cost the city more than $40M. by Courtney Vaughn

Update: Nov. 6- This story has been updated to note that this week's Council discussion has been canceled.

A day after an election showing Portland City Commissioners Mingus Mapps and Rene Gonzalez losing their bids for mayor, a plan to revisit an intergovernmental agreement on homelessness between the city and Multnomah County has been canceled. 

An agenda item scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7 to consider terminating the homeless services agreement was pulled from the agenda Wednesday afternoon, just 26 hours before it was slated to be considered by Council.

The proposal, which came from Commissioners Mapps, Gonzalez, and Dan Ryan, was a divisive move that could've upended the city's collaboration with the county on the most pressing issue impacting the region.

In a joint statement Wednesday, Gonzalez, Ryan and Mapps said pulling the plug on their plans "will allow space for the new City Council, Mayor, and County Commissioners to renegotiate the Homelessness Response Services Intergovernmental Agreement if they choose."

"The Commissioners remain steadfast in their conviction that the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and Metro can build a better system to address homeless services and pave a better path forward," the statement reads.

Three weeks ago, while presiding over a Council meeting in Mayor Ted Wheeler’s absence, Commissioner Gonzalez directed the city attorney to draft up a contract termination ordinance that would dissolve the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) dictating homelessness response and collaboration. He got a nod of support from Mapps and Ryan. 

The trio then introduced a proposal to formally end the contract between the governing agencies, citing “insufficient progress” to meet key milestones and deadlines. A contract termination proposal on Thursday’s agenda suggests the current arrangement lacks the right framework and governance structures to tackle the homelessness crisis “with the urgency, collaboration, and effectiveness required.”

Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps pitched the proposal as an orderly wind-down to make way for an improved agreement. But one day after an election showing Gonzalez and Mapps losing their bids for mayor, the proposal was abandoned.

The proposal drew swift backlash from the mayor and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. Following Portland’s Oct. 16 Council meeting, Vega Pederson issued a statement admonishing Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps. 

The majority of City Council says they don't want to work with the County to end homelessness.

Its clear these officials - candidates desperately vying for your vote this month - have their eyes on their own future and not our collective one.

Disappointing. pic.twitter.com/sZwkoQBiF2

— Jessica Vega Pederson (@jvegapederson) October 17, 2024

Last Friday, when the item officially appeared on a Council agenda, she spoke out again.

“The City Council deciding to end this agreement after just a few months is a short-sighted decision that will harm our community’s future,” Vega Pederson wrote November 1 in a lengthy explanatory statement released by the county. “We don’t need more talking–this community cannot afford it. That will not lead to better outcomes or fewer people on the street, and I do not believe it is a good use of taxpayer resources when we have a collaborative plan we are already putting into action. No single government can [solve] this issue alone. The County is taking action on homelessness every day and that work is best when we work in partnership.”

Vega Pederson previously called the move a “political stunt” by Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps just before the election. If the Council voted to end the contract, it wouldn't take effect for 90 days, when a new City Council is in place. 

Margaux Weeke, communications director for Commissioner Ryan, says the commissioner isn't opposed to working with the county under a modified arrangement, but it needs to be substantially different.

“Dan Ryan knows the players. He knows the game," Weeke says. "And he wants to expand the amount of seats at the table and pave a better path forward for homeless services."

The current IGA, which was just renewed in July, essentially lays out a division of labor, funding, and responsibilities between the city and the county with regard to homeless services and shelters. It also identifies goals and milestones for reducing the number of unsheltered people in the county. 

Vega Pederson said the county now spends all of its homeless services funds, and more, while providing clear data and public dashboards. She also noted the homelessness response plan lays out 120 action items, each assigned to a responsible party.

The county has issued data on spending and progress summaries.

If city estimates are accurate, ending the agreement would place a significant financial burden on the city as it heads into a tight fiscal year. Portland and Multnomah County currently share financial responsibility for the region’s homelessness response. 

The city would no longer have to send $32 million in general fund money to Multnomah County, but it would take on more than $40 million in costs to permanently manage the Safe Rest Villages and Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites. 

The roughly $40 million expense doesn’t include costs for wraparound services that the county currently provides at the shelter sites. The city doesn’t know how much it would cost to provide those services, and there is no alternative plan in place for maintaining services and shelter beds if the contract goes away.

Welcome Home Coalition, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing and universal access to housing, warned the termination proposal was dangerous.

“They are presenting this action without a clearly articulated new plan of how the city will serve people experiencing homelessness,” an email sent from the coalition reads. “Backing out of the Intergovernmental Agreement without an understanding of how this would impact service provision will have rippling consequences that will no doubt result in more harm to those in the most need of services.”

In a joint letter released last week, the three commissioners explained their decision to introduce the agenda item, saying the city needs to see a different way of managing services.

“As Portland City Commissioners with years of experience with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, we are resolute that we can no longer afford to maintain the status quo,” the joint letter states. “We are also united in our repeated calls for accountability, efficiency, and improved governance to enhance our homeless services. …And despite our repeated requests for clear and useful data, operational alignment for short-term shelters, and a shared vision for the homeless services system, we have faced significant challenges in implementing these necessary changes.”

Ending the IGA would further deteriorate an already strained relationship between the city and county. Mayor Wheeler previously said the working relationship between both governments had improved over the past year, but recent IGA renewals have been met with reluctance from Mapps, Ryan, and Gonzalez.

by Anonymous

Racist sexist bullying is what landed us where we are today. More of the same will not fix anything. People who live and work downtown know exactly what smash 'em up protesting accomplishes. The city is a ghost of what it once was and that has helped nothing. Peaceful protest, activism on all fronts, and actually attending to the problems Portlanders can fix is what we need. Put your toxic masculinity away.

Portland will have the most racially diverse City Council the city has ever seen, with a progressive majority. by Courtney Vaughn

A fourth round of preliminary election results was released Friday, showing little to no changes in presumptive winners. That means Portlanders now have a clear idea of what the city's future leadership will be, come January.

Portland City Council is likely to have a progressive majority and for the first time, and a roughly 40 percent BIPOC Council.

Portland Mayor-elect Keith Wilson is slated to receive onboarding and training at City Hall starting next month, before the new City Council and mayor are sworn in in January.

City Council races

In District 1, Candace Avalos, who previously ran for a seat on Portland City Council and served on Portland's Charter Commission, is leading handily and is a presumptive winner. She will most likely serve alongside former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and Jamie Dunphy, whose career has been spent helping to shape public policy while formerly working for US Sen. Jeff Merkley and the late Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. Dunphy has recently led the charge to stop a Live Nation music venue from being developed in Southeast Portland. While Dunphy is leading for third place, he currently sits at just 23 percent, which is less than the 25 percent threshold for election. County officials say that can happen when ballots become "exhausted." Dunphy will likely still win election.

In District 2, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Sameer Kanal, and current City Commissioner Dan Ryan are all but guaranteed Council seats. The latest results show Ryan and Pirtle-Guiney were neck-and-neck in first-round counts, with just 73 votes separating the two. Pirtle-Guiney is a labor organizer and member of former Gov. Kate Brown's executive team. She also led the charge for Oregon Measure 114, which sought to limit gun magazine capacity and add a required permit for gun ownership. The measure passed but is currently held up in a court battle. Kanal served as the project manager for Portland's Police Accountability Commission and also serves on the city's Parks & Recreation Board.

District 3 saw Steve Novick, a former city commissioner, pull off a first-round win, guaranteeing his return to City Hall. He will be joined by elementary school teacher Tiffany Koyama Lane and nonprofit policy advocate Angelita Morillo, who were nearly tied with 19 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Both Koyama Lane and Morillo ran on a progressive agenda, with Koyama Lane picking up an endorsement from Portland's Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Candidates in District 3 will be up for election again in two years.

In District 4, Olivia Clark, a communications professional who previously worked in Gov. John Kitzhaber's office, secured a first-round win Thursday. She'll be one of three city councilors representing the district that includes Southwest Portland, including downtown, and small portions of Southeast Portland like Sellwood. Along with Clark, energy economist Mitch Green is a presumptive winner. Green emerged as easily the most progressive front-runner candidate in District 4, securing an endorsement from the Portland DSA. The third-place winner is appears to be political insider Eric Zimmerman, though first-round results show him with less than a percentage point lead over Eli Arnold and the race is still close.  Both candidates secured 11 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Zimmerman previously worked in Mayor Ted Wheeler's office and currently works for Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim Edwards. Arnold is a Portland police officer. District 4 seats will be up for election again in two years.

Congressional race

In a closely watched federal race for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, Democrat Janelle Bynum secured a win over Republican incumbent Lori Chavez DeRemer, flipping the US House seat from red to blue. Other winners include incumbent Suzanne Bonamici in the 1st District and Maxine Dexter in the 3rd Congressional District.

By Friday, the vast majority of ballots were received and counted, though the Multnomah County Elections Office says it still has about 45,000 ballots to count. Overall voter turnout in Multnomah County is now hovering around 71 percent.

Results won’t be finalized until Dec. 2.

by Wm. Steven Humphrey

GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.)

• Keith Wilson is Portland’s Next Mayor

Wilson will be Portland's next mayor. Did your fave city council candidates make the cut? Check out our reporting and find out! We've got the latest updates.

Taylor Griggs

• It's the Mercury's 2024 General Election Night Live Blog!

Relive election night (in an entertaining fashion) with the Mercury's election live blog, featuring up-to-the-minute results and stern critiques of the candidate parties and snack tables. 

Michelle Mruk

• How Portland’s Rose City Rollers Became Roller Derby Champions Again

Last Sunday, the Rose City Rollers' all-star team Wheels of Justice won derby's highest honor at the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Global Championship. Corbin Smith recounts: It was sports. Major sports.

Corbin Smith

• City Commissioners Abandon Plans to Terminate Joint Homeless Response Agreement With Multnomah County

A day after an election showing City Commissioners Rene Gonzalez and Mingus Mapps losing their bid for mayor, a proposal to end Portland's homeless services agreement with Multnomah County was suddenly pulled from this week's City Council agenda.

Courtney Vaughn

• Ticket Alert

Sting adds a second Bend date to his tour, post-hardcore band Chiodos is coming to Portland next year, and hard rock outfit Catch Your Breath has dropped dates for their Broken Souls tour. Get those tix quick with help from TICKET ALERT.

Courtesy of the artist

• THE TRASH REPORT!

This week: The Avengers love Kamala, Nazis love Trump, and Ted Danson is back in love with Kelsey Grammer. (So much love!)

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

• Film Review: Allee Willis: Creative Force, 'Dangerous Woman,' Songwriter Behind Friends Theme

A new documentary, The World According to Allee Willis, reveals your favorite artists’ favorite artist.

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

• Free Ticket Time!

Like free stuff? Then enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Reverend Horton Heat, Des Demonas, Mason Jennings, and MORE! 

• The Best Things To Do in Portland This Month

As we do every month, we've compiled the biggest events you need to know about in every genre, from Sabrina Carpenter to Cyndi Lauper and from World Vegan Month to PLUS PLUS: PAM CUT's New Annual Festival. It's our top picks for November!

Courtesy Lilla

• SAVAGE LOVE

Straight women in gay bars, post-sex ghosting, and return of the sexy fling—all this and much, much more in this edition of SAVAGE LOVE quickies!

Joe Newton

WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF GOOD READIN'. I hope you didn't have any other plans this weekend! Dig in, and remember: Producing all this hard work costs moolah—so please consider contributing to the Mercury to keep it all coming! Thanks!

Citing ethical issues and potential conflicts of interest, advocates want the city to halt a no-bid contract renewal that would funnel millions to the Portland Metro Chamber. by Courtney Vaughn

For years, Portland has collected fees from property owners in enhanced service districts to pay for added cleaning and security services in designated areas. The districts are typically concentrated around businesses, offering private security, extra policing, janitorial services, and more recently, removal of homeless camps. 

Some stakeholders say the city has yet to confront the unique and outsized role of Portland’s most powerful business lobbying group at one enhanced service district (ESD) in particular—Downtown Portland Clean & Safe.

This week, Portland City Council is scheduled to vote on a 116-acre expansion of the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district, as well as a fee hike and a five-year management contract renewal for the district. 

Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, more than 100 Portlanders and over a dozen community groups are urging City Council to postpone the contract renewal that would funnel a hefty portion of a $58 million, no-bid contract to the Portland Metro Chamber.

An open letter to city commissioners outlines a number of transparency and ethics issues surrounding the Clean & Safe contract, asking the Council vote to be tabled until a new Council is sworn in this January.

Currently, the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district is overseen by an organization of the same name, whose management has significant overlap with the executive leadership of the Portland Metro Chamber (formerly the Portland Business Alliance).

A large chunk of funding for the Metro Chamber’s leadership staff comes from a lucrative contract to oversee the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe ESD.

That means a private group that lobbies the city on behalf of private business interests is being paid millions in public money to oversee a service district that includes a large swath of its own dues-paying members. The downtown district also includes several government agencies and properties that pay into the ESD—including Portland City Hall. Moreover, community groups say the contract and service delivery model are convoluted at best, with next to no oversight from the city.

The letter’s signatories say the petition for district expansion, and the accompanying contract renewal “raises serious concerns related to affordability, efficient use of public resources, accountability, and transparency.”

“The City contracts with Clean & Safe, which subcontracts with other organizations to carry out cleaning and safety services. Yet the executive director of Clean & Safe is simultaneously an employee of the Portland Business Alliance, which is also a subcontractor of Clean & Safe,” the open letter to Council states. “Unclear lines of oversight make it difficult for ratepayers or the public to hold anyone accountable. Even more concerning, the contract allocates significant overhead to the Portland Business Alliance, the city’s most active lobbying organization.”

It's a contract that mystifies everyone from accountants, to ratepayers, and even auditors. 

A 2020 city audit of Portland's ESDs found "little oversight" of the privately funded public service districts and noted "complicated governance and management systems" that obfuscate public access to basic information such as budgets and subcontracts.

Not long after the city audit, a local business executive spoke out about the questionable business arrangement baked into the Clean & Safe contract. When she did, she was allegedly threatened with a lawsuit from the Portland Business Alliance.

Since then, other local government watchdogs have taken note, but gotten little traction with city leadership.

“I think this council has an ethical responsibility to answer all these questions for the voters, or wait,” Diane Goodwin, a member of local political advocacy group Portland For All, says.

Cleaning services praised; expenses questioned

It's unclear what Clean & Safe's latest budget includes. A 2021 budget calculated total expenses at around $5 million, including about $858,000 in salaries. Exactly what portion of staff is covered in those salary expenses is murky. Both the Metro Chamber and Downtown Clean & Safe share staff. In fact, the Chamber's CEO and president, Andrew Hoan, is also the CEO and president of Downtown Clean & Safe. The 2021 budget shows $243,000 in "shared administration" salary costs. 

Tax documents from 2022 show Hoan drew a $333,000 salary from the Chamber that year. The two organizations also share an executive assistant and an advocacy coordinator. Clean & Safe's operations director and executive director are also listed as part of the Chamber's staff. The Clean & Safe executive director drew a $154,000 salary from the Chamber that same year.

Businesses and commercial property owners in the district overwhelmingly support the expansion, saying the frequent cleaning and beefed up security have improved downtown Portland and made it safer for workers and visitors.

“We want our associates to feel safe coming into work,” Kelly Mullen, president of Portland’s Safeway and Albertsons division, told the Council on October 31 during its initial consideration of the contract and ESD expansion. Mullen said recently, the Safeway location at 10th and Jefferson has had to reduce store hours and close off an entrance, to improve safety at the grocery store.

“We want to be part of the solution and really make our community thrive,” Mullen said.

The council also heard from the principal of a private school advocating for the district expansion so her students and staff could receive extra security and clean-up around the campus.

One element of Downtown Clean & Safe that’s lauded by nearly every district member, even critics, is the Clean Start program, run by Central City Concern. The program offers janitorial jobs cleaning city streets to people transitioning out of homelessness. For many, it offers a fresh start and a path toward self-sufficiency. 

City staff and Clean & Safe reps say the expanded district and new proposed rate structures will offer more transparency, reasonable fee calculations, inflation adjustments, and a cap on rates for condo owners. Several residential ratepayers say the whole Clean & Safe arrangement leaves them with more questions than services received. 

John Pumphrey owns a condominium in the downtown district. He and other condo owners say the services they pay for are often duplicative of private security and janitorial services they already pay for through their homeowners association. They also say the services serve mainly to benefit businesses, not residents.

“I’m a condo owner in downtown Portland and our building pays $24,000 a year to Clean & Safe and for this, [we] receive next to nothing,” Pumphrey told the Council, asking them to vote against the contract renewal. “What’s really irritating to some of us about Clean & Safe is that 50 percent of what we contribute … is skimmed off the top by the Portland Metro Chamber.”

Pumphrey isn’t the only one critical of the unusually high compensation provided to Portland Metro Chamber staff from the Downtown Clean & Safe contract.

The open letter to City Council also makes mention of the compensation arrangement, asserting the Clean & Safe contract “pays nearly 50 percent of Business Alliance executive salaries in addition to up to 30% in administrative overhead.”

“Many of these executives appear in City lobbying records and in state filings for PACs that advocate for private business interests, often directly in conflict with the will of the voting public,” the letter reads. “It is inappropriate to use public resources to offset the cost of business lobbying.”

Devin Reynolds, the city's ESD coordinator, said the arrangement between the Metro Chamber and Dowtown Clean & Safe isn't an anomaly.

“Having an ESD contract with a third party to fulfill some, or all their service areas is indeed common across business improvement districts, business improvement areas, and enhanced services districts,” Reynolds told the Mercury earlier this year.

Commonplace or not, some downtown ESD ratepayers say they’ve been cut off from any meaningful participation in their district’s oversight or decisions.

Anita Davidson, a condo owner in the downtown district, told the Mercury that for years, condo owners have had no representation in district leadership, and there is little to no transparency around operational decisions.

“As residential people, we don’t feel we belong there. We don't have a vote in who runs Clean & Safe,” she said. “We can’t even join Portland Metro Chamber, because it's for businesses. I’d like to see Clean & Safe become a public nonprofit. That would solve a lot of things. I still have to make a public records request [just] to see their budget.”

In an effort to appease homeowners, the new contract includes a fee cap on residential units. It’s a nice accommodation, but homeowners in the industry-dominated district say what they really want is a way to opt out.

There currently is no mechanism to do that, and the process for annexing additional property into an ESD doesn’t require a vote from affected property owners. It’s left up to City Council to approve. Current standards only require the city to notify affected property owners by mail and hold public hearings where they can chime in. 

“Unfortunately for ratepayers, the city has not yet, after 30 years, adopted standards for formation, renewal, or expansion of the ESDs,” Davidson told Council. “At some point, we hope and expect that this will happen, although listening tonight, it sounds like it's an all-in-one thing.”

Other district members say they disagree with their tax revenue being used to initiate homeless sweeps, and pay for increased police presence.

That’s especially true in the case of Sisters of the Road, a homeless services nonprofit and member of the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district.

“From 2016-2020, unhoused residents accounted for over half of arrests made in Portland. Their charges were primarily nonviolent, survival crimes. That same data showed that people are 20 times more likely to experience criminalization in Downtown Clean & Safe versus other areas of the city,” Lauren Armony, program director at Sisters of the Road, told the city in written testimony earlier this year. “Hyper-surveillance has not made our neighborhood any healthier or safer, but further entrenched vulnerable individuals in the cycle of incarceration and poverty.”

Organizations like Sisters of the Road say they're irked that the ESD funnels its members’ taxes into the Metro Chamber, which has powerful influence over city politics and often advocates against the city’s vulnerable, unhoused residents–the same population Sisters of the Road is trying to help. 

The Clean & Safe contract and district expansion are currently scheduled for a second reading and vote by Portland City Council on Wednesday.

Bangladesh defies the stereotypes. It was born in poverty but has risen up the income ladder and is a model of health progress. Will the current political upheaval take a toll on its impressive achievements?

April 5, 2013:

With Mayor Menino's announcement that he would not seek a sixth term, the race for the next mayor of Boston has officially begun. Even as the slate of candidates takes shape, questions are emerging, among them: what is the opportunity for emerging leaders of color; what are the benefits to the city of Boston of new leadership, regardless of race; has the Menino administration left anything undone in communities of color that can now be addressed?


Our panel:
- Callie Crossley, host, Under The Radar, WGBH
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature, and publishing, Emerson College
- Kevin C. Peterson, founder/director, New Democracy Coalition
- John Barros, executive director, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative


(Photo source: FreeFoto.com)

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