Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall
Sunday, December 8, 2024, 12 – 2pm

Sugarcoat your holiday season with a Gingerbread House Workshop! Assemble the sweetest house of your dreams in IMU Alumni Hall on Sunday, December 8 and Saturday, December 14.

Spaces are limited so be sure to make a reservation.

Presenter: Indiana University Office of Student Life/ IMU Sugar & Spice
Age Range: All Ages
More info: api.getspoonfed.com…

Unitarian Universalist Church
2120 N. Fee Lane
Bloomington, IN
Friday, December 6, 9am – Saturday, December 7, 2024, 3pm

Unitarian Universalist Church Holiday Bazaar and Art Fair
Friday December 6th 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Art Fair starts at 11 a.m.)
Saturday December 7th Bazaar and Art Fair 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Unitarian Universalist Church
2120 N. Fee Lane
Bloomington IN

Bazaar includes
Art Fair: A juried art show featuring professional arts and crafts from local artisans.
Cookie Cruise: Fill your box with your own selection of homemade cookies.
Gourmet Galaxy: Assortment of homemade breads, candies, jellies, pickles and other delicacies.
White Elephants: Used items from the precious to the useful to the intriguing.
Used Book Sale: For your enjoyment.
Uunique Cafe: Homemade soups, and sandwiches and desserts to sustain you as you shop.Fund Raising Booths: Homemade and imported items, proceeds of which support some of our charitable work.
Join us for the holiday spirit and opportunity to find the perfect holiday gift.

Contact: Ruellen Fessenbecker
Age Range: All Ages
Cost: Free
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.uubloomington.org

Indiana Memorial Union
Thursday, December 5, 2024, 7 – 9pm

Light Up the Night

Celebrate the holiday season with the annual lighting of the IMU candles! Join us for a joyful night featuring a winter market, ice skating rink, and lots of ceremonious cheer. An evening filled with festivities awaits!

IMU Circle Drive & Parking Lot

Presenter: Indiana Memorial Union
Age Range: All Ages

217 N 7th St, Mitchell, IN 47446
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 7 – 9pm

Mitchell Opera House will have Sounds of Summer performing on November 23rd at 7pm. Doors will open at 6:15pm. We ask guests to not bring any outdoor food or drinks. Seating is first come, first serve.

Presenter: Mitchell Opera House
Contact: Opera House Manager Gary Rayhill
Cost: $30 for Adults $15 for kids under 12
Ticket Web Link: www.eventbrite.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.mitchelloperahouse.com

Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Friday, November 15, 2024, 8 – 9:30pm

Another Round is Indiana University's premier all-male a cappella group. Established in 1996, Another Round has entertained audiences in Bloomington and beyond for over two decades. By pairing their rich harmonies with their signature sense of humor, Another Round puts their audiences in the middle of a truly unique entertainment experience. Their chemistry and showmanship leave you with a feeling of hometown charm unique to the group's beloved Bloomington, Indiana. Join us for a night of music you will not forget!

Presenter: Another Round
Contact: BCT Box Office, boxoffice@buskirkchumley.org
Cost: $14 - $24
Ticket Phone: 812-323-3020
Ticket Web Link: buskirkchumley.org…
Communities: Bloomington

Unitarian Universalist Church
2120 N. Fee Lane
Bloomington, IN 47408
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 7 – 8pm

SING FOR JOY is a performance based community choir that welcomes all singers including the other-abled, and those living with dementia. This concert highlights the music of the 1960's. The choir will be supported by rock band musicians, feature soloists, and small groups. There will be a guest appearance by the Quarryland Men's Chorus.

Presenter: SING FOR JOY! Choir
Contact: Sandra Freund
Cost: Free
Communities: Bedford, Bloomington, Brown County
More info: www.facebook.com…

Juniper Art Gallery
615 W. Kirkwood Ave
Bloomington, IN 47404
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 4:30 – 6pm

Juniper Art Gallery is thrilled to welcome back multi-instrumentalist, and singer/songwriter Pat Otto to our Janiece Jaffe Legacy Stage for November's 2nd Wednesday Acoustic Afternoon on Nov 13th from 4:30-6:00pm. Pat will play both covers and originals on guitar and mandolin. His shows are always entertaining and enjoyable, and we have food & beverage available through our cafe. Come out for a wonderful afternoon of music and art, and some new arrivals in the shop!

Presenter: Juniper Art Gallery
Contact: art@juniperartgallery.com
Cost: free
More info: juniperartgallery.com…

Ford-Crawford Hall, Simon Music Center
Monday, November 11, 2024, 8:30 – 9:30pm

More info: events.iu.edu…

Ford-Crawford Hall, Simon Music Center
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 5 – 6pm

More info: events.iu.edu…

Auer Hall, Simon Music Center
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 4 – 6pm

An Afternoon Salon

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

See how well YOOOooooOOOOu score on this week's Halloooooweeeeeen-themed trivia quiz! (I am a ghost, if you didn't guess.) ???? by Wm. Steven Humphrey

HELLOOOOO, BRAINY HUMAN! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And in this edition, we're testing your knowledge on a variety of HALLOWEEN-related topics including creeeepy Trump statues, ghost cars (and stores!), and Portland's most HAUNTED locales! OoooOOOoooooh! (That is the sound ghosts make, I'm given to understand.) ????

But first, how did you do on our previous, special edition ranked choice quiz? Super good, and I'm confident you are ready to vote if you haven't already! And in case you're wondering, here's how Portlanders ranked who should be our next mayor. (At least we know who should run next time!)

OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

Create your own user feedback survey

Did you enjoy that? Take our past Pop Quizzes HERE!

by Suzette Smith

The Mercury provides its readers with interesting and useful news & culture reporting every single day. If you appreciate that, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. If you read something you like, something you don't like but are glad to know about, and/or something you can't find anywhere else consider a one-time tip. It all goes in the same pot and it all goes to the editorial team. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland! When they told me a bat could be beautiful I didn't believe, but now I believe.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• As October comes to a close, so too does the Bureau of Land Management’s annual Bat Beauty Contest, which asks where the "most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands" can be found? It's Oregon, motherfuckers! For the third year running WE HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BAT. YES! Despite J. K. Rowling's tarnished-as-hell legacy, we can still celebrate this feisty male hoary bat, Hoary Potter. It's also worth noting that this is the second year a bat photographed by wildlife technician Emma Busk took top beauty honors. Busk wrote, "anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been wanting to photograph a hoary bat,"—a sentiment we can all echo.

BLM's most beautiful bat is from Oregon, and I love him. pic.twitter.com/T8qQgsz5kT

— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 1, 2024

• There's also terrible news, unfortunately. Yesterday evening, a shooting at Vancouver Mall, in Vancouver, WA, killed one person and injured two in the building's food court.  A witness who spoke to KOIN described "a harrowing scene, as the shopping center was full of kids trick-or-treating." So far, police have said they do not have a suspect in custody and the person may still be armed. They told KOIN they were reviewing surveillance footage, but have not yet released a description of the shooter.

• Oh my god, Clark County are you okay? KPTV reports that Clark County Elections Office is warning voters to beware of unofficial ballot boxes. Unofficial ballot boxes are not illegal in Washington! (This also appears to be true of Oregon!) Clark County Elections encouraged voters official ballot return locations.

• The Oregonian is returning to broadsheet size, they announced yesterday in a post that did not explain what that is for readers who didn't go to graphic design school / work in at newspaper with some old dude named Phil. Somewhat surprisingly, Willamette Week's Nigel Jaquiss stepped in to clarify. Tabloid is hotdog style fold; broadsheet is burger. Both WW and the Mercury are hotdogs. The New York Times is burger fold.

• NPR's Up First weirdly tried to do a report on Vice President Kamala Harris "highlighting Trump's own language and using it against him," as if that's somehow something of which to be critical? Gave me the vapors of the new Hasaan Hates Portland sketch from this week:

• In two week's the city's beloved queer documentary festival QDoc will host the Oregon debut of The World According to Allee Willis, which explores the complicated life of a queer "song doctor" who co-wrote not only Earth, Wind and Fire's "September," but the Friends TV show theme. Check out Melissa Locker's review of the film.; she says it's not to be missed!

• Did you take this week's local news quiz? 

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A post shared by Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury)

IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• Atlanta rap star Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, finally walked free last night, after pleading guilty to "six counts, including possession of drugs and firearms... leading a criminal street gang and conspiracy to violate the RICO act, the state’s racketeering law," the New York Times reports. As part of the plea, the judge sentenced Williams to a total sentence of 40 years, but commuted the five years of prison time to the two and a half years that Williams has already served. Williams will remain on probation for 15 years, and will "be required to stay away from metro Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation." He is also required to take random drug tests, make anti-gang presentations for children's organizations four times a year, perform 100 hours of community service a year, and "refrain from promoting gangs or being around known gang members." The ongoing Young Slime Life (YSL) court proceedings—which caused NYT's Joe Coscarelli to ask "is YSL was a record label, street gang, or both?"—have stretched into what is now the longest trial in Georgia history. Despite three other plea deals this week, it appears the trial will continue with the two remaining co-defendants.

• Mark Zuckerberg dressed as Fran Lebowitz for Halloween, and that's just what happened.

Mark Zuckerberg dressed as John Wick for Halloween but I thought it was Fran Lebowitz pic.twitter.com/zdXaomOMPR

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) November 1, 2024

• You're going to see some stuff today about "explosive new audio" recordings where Donald Trump speaks candidly to the reviled Jeffrey Epstein about his White House Staff and his disdain for the position itself. It's only really on the Daily Beast, the podcast of journalist Michael Wolff, and a few other sites. I'd rather wait til a super solid source gets it—seems like maybe they're holding off because they're checking it?—but the story is out there. Don't sound like anything particularly new, but people are saying "October surprise" because they want attention.

• Also in weird news about guys we already thought were corrupt, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is apparently pledged to some secretive religious traditionalist organization. That tracks.

• Flashback to this masterpiece, which has been floating around the zeitgeist all week.

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.)

• Lawsuits Allege Deceit and Greenwashing by Oregon’s Largest Gas Utility

Advocates hope two lawsuits filed this month against gas utility NW Natural lead to change. The lawsuits say NW Natural has lied to customers and shared greenwashing propaganda, including spreading misinformation about a state climate policy.

• POP QUIZ PDX!

It's the spooooky HALLOWEEN edition of your fave weekly trivia quiz! This week: creepy Trump statues, ghost cars, and Portland's most HAUNTED locales! OoooOOOoooooh! (That's our imitation of a ghost, btw. ????) See how well YOU score!

• The Mercury's November 2024 VOTER CHEAT SHEET!

Filling out your ballot this weekend? GOOD! Need help? Voila, here's your 100% accurate Mercury Endorsement Cheat Sheet to help you fill out your ballot lickety-split!

• How Portland Became a Roller Derby Mecca

Twenty years ago, Portland's first modern roller derby league emerged. It's now the largest derby league in the world. Now, the four-time global champion Rose City Rollers will compete for another title win this weekend at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

• Could the James Beard Public Market Rise From the Corpse of Corporate Failure?

Long envisioned as Portland's version of Seattle's Pike Place, the James Bear Public Market would also provide an answer to downtown’s dearth of fresh produce.

• What to Expect From Portland’s New Government

Good news: Portland is getting a (much needed) new form of city government in January. But what exactly is changing for our elected officials? And, perhaps more importantly, how will all of this impact you?

• THE TRASH REPORT

If you're looking for the trashiest gossip from this election season, then you've found the right garbage can. ???? ????

• TICKET ALERT

Get those tickets now for the shows you don't want to miss, including Tyler, The Creator, country pop princess Kelsea Ballerini, and Berlin-based pianist, composer, and producer Nils Frahm!

• Infinite Life: A Play About Pain That Hurts So Good

Third Rail Repertory kicks off its 2024-25 season with a work by contemporary theater star Annie Baker. Never before have six actors worked their respective chaise lounges with such verve.

• Don't Miss the Mercury's ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY!

Looking for fun on election night? Join your friends at Mississippi Studios for the Mercury's official election night watch party—hosted by the hilarious Alex Falcone and Shain Brenden! (And what? IT'S FREE!)

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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. 

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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!)

• 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.

• 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!

• 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!

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!

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! ????

Who's had a busy weekend of actively IGNORING all the spectacularly bad takes following last week's election? Wow, these so-called Democrats are the only people I know who, instead of blaming the actual people involved, love kicking each other in the scrabble bag when they're disappointed. Even worse, a few of these bad actors are saying we should have capitulated to the white supremacists and the hateful half of the country that voted for Trump... as if that would have somehow changed the outcome? LOL! Make a note, friends... despite the fact that a sizable part of the nation is in thrall of a convicted felon/cult leader, we should NEVER water down our ethics or sense of justice to appease people who want the rest of us (and especially marginalized communities) to stop existing. If you absolutely must blame someone, try focusing your ire on those who refuse to properly educate themselves and have lost their moral compass. Our pathway is UP—the rest of 'em can either keep up or get the fuck out of the way. 

And that's your Monday Morning Mini-Rant™—now, let's look at some NEWS!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Local election update! Now that only a very few votes (4,000 as of Saturday) are left to be counted, I think it's safe to say "OH, HELLO THERE!" to our newest incoming mayor, Keith Wilson, and our new city council, which is as follows: District 1: Candace Avalos, Loretta Smith, and (probably) Jamie Dunphy (waiting for the final count to clarify that one); District 2: Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Sameer Kanal, and current City Commissioner Dan Ryan ????; District 3: Steve Novick, Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Angelita Morillo; and District 4: Olivia Clark, Mitch Green, and most likely Eric Zimmerman... or possibly cop Eli Arnold (neither are great). In any case, that right there is a majority progressive council, with a few Portland Business Alliance puppets thrown in—which in theory should make the ever-conniving big business/realtor community happy, but rest assured they'll be pulling some anti-democratic shenanigans before you know it. Keep an eye on 'em! ????

Portland: Our new mayor Keith Wilson shows encouraging signs on transportation, above all his obsession with observation and data. Good profile by Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland.

bikeportland.org/2024/11/07/p...

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— Jarrett Walker (@humantransit.bsky.social) November 10, 2024 at 12:56 PM

• In other good election news, in the hotly contested (and way too close) Oregon's 5th Congressional District race, Democrat Janelle Bynum scored a win over Republican incumbent Lori Chavez DeRemer, flipping the US House seat from red to blue! While there is currently a narrow path to victory for House Democrats, it's still very tight—so at this moment, every Democrat win counts. (And in case you missed it, in Washington state, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is the presumptive winner in the 3rd Congressional District, beating out dipshit MAGA candidate Joe Kent.)

• In the first baller move of his administration, mayor-elect Keith Wilson allegedly pressured current city commissioners Rene Gonzalez, Mingus Mapps, and Dan Ryan into dropping their theatrical stunt to end Portland's homelessness services agreement with Multnomah County. As our Courtney Vaughn reported, the three crybaby candidates were threatening to end the deal with the county, even though it would cost the city $40 million to do so. But according to Ryan—who is now furiously backpedaling on his bonehead decision—Wilson called the trio, and "made it clear that he would like us to take that off the table.... So out of respect for the new mayor, it just was good manners." HAAAAAAAAA! Right. Or maybe it was that Gonzalez and Mapps' run for mayor just blew up in their faces, and Ryan was left alone in the wilderness holding this particular bag of shit. In any case, an absolutely embarrassing way to end their obstructive, but mostly useless term—and I am here for it! ????

• The Portland Trail Blazers suffered an absolutely crushing defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies last night... 134-89? OUCH. Terrible shooting, poor defense, and a harsh 23 turnovers reportedly had the normally stoic coach Chauncey Billups reportedly issuing this post-game message to the players: “Anybody that sleeps well tonight, you’re a loser. It’s just that simple." Once again, with feeling: OUCH.

• Today in death: Pioneering climate scientist Warren Washington—who grew up in Portland—has died at the age of 88. Washington is credited with developing early models of global warming. Also, longtime Blazer radio announcer Brian "Wheels" Wheeler has died after an extensive illness; he was 62.

Ahead of the Blood Brothers' sold out show at Revolution Hall next week, we spoke with the band's two frontmen about the group's intense, abstract song lyrics. ⁠ We did not expect: Their shared theater history. The influence of Pulp's Jarvis Cocker.

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) November 8, 2024 at 12:26 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Despite exciting Democratic wins in Oregon and Washington, Republicans are getting closer to keeping control of the House, which after capturing the senate would mean that many of Trump's evil schemes could become a reality. Currently the GOP is four congresspeople away from securing the necessary 218 seats; the Dems are at 203. ????

• Trump has chosen former ICE director Tom Homan to serve as his “border czar,” as the incoming president ramps up his plan to launch "the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history" (without presenting a plan on how it can be done or the billions it will cost us now and in the future). The recently elected convicted felon has also picked longtime loyalist/minion Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to become the next US ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik is a staunch supporter of Israel and their genocide, and has pushed for ending relief to war-torn Palestinians. The only potential good news here: Taking Stefanik out of her current job could lead Republicans into losing the House.

This is not great

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— Molly Jong-Fast (@mollyjongfast.bsky.social) November 11, 2024 at 7:49 AM

• In escaped monkey news: Twenty-four out of 43 monkeys who escaped a South Carolina research lab last week have been recovered—and staff has eyes on another "sizable" group. Locals are being advised to avoid touching the monkeys, and instead call 911. (Take it from someone who briefly lived there, South Carolina hates it when you touch your monkey.)

Your body, my choice

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— Berit Glanz (@beritmiriam.bsky.social) November 11, 2024 at 2:23 AM

• Toymaker Mattel has apologized for accidentally including a porn website address on packaging for dolls from the upcoming movie Wicked. The company is advising parents to either throw away the packaging or obscure the web address before kids accidentally stumble on to any "Two Witches, One Cup" videos. (On a scale of one-to-ten, how mad are you at me right now? I'm at, like, a seven.)

• And finally... a visual representation of what will happen to the economy five minutes after Trump takes office:

@vehiculeracing -caniparkhere? #boat ♬ original sound  - VÉHICULE

See her Tuesday in Portland at Jack London Revue. by Dave Segal

Recording for Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder label, Salami Rose Joe Louis (Lindsay Olsen) has blazed a distinctive trail in that fertile sector of California's underground where electronic music and jazz converge. On early releases by this multi-instrumentalist and producer—such as 2019's Zdenka 2080—Olsen sings in a hushed, dulcet manner over sparse, melodious electronic music that wears its jazz inflections gracefully. Faint echoes of '90s and '00s introspective, minimalist IDM (intelligent dance music, if you don't know) acts such as Múm insinuate themselves, too. It's ultimately dream pop, but not in the cloying way manifested by the genre's try-hards.

With 2023's Akousmatikous and this year's collab with Flanafi, Sarah, SRJL's rhythms get jazzier and the instrumentation fuller, with help from Soccer96 and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, among others. The songs are more kinetic while the vocals retain their breathy, Julee Cruise-like sweetness. The music's levitational feel and smooth propulsion belie lyrics about catastrophic ecological degradation and the dangers of propaganda/disinformation. Enchanting listeners through understatement and mutedly sparkling tones, Olsen offers the most pleasant dystopian sci-fi soundtracks extant. At Jack London Revue she'll be joined by guitarist Flanafi, bassist Tone Whitfield, and drummer Luke Titus—most of whom played on the exceptional new Salami Live at 2131 North Kacey Street EP.

<a href="https://salamirosejoelouismusic.bandcamp.com/album/salami-live-at-2131-north-kacey-street">Salami Live at 2131 North Kacey Street by Salami Rose Joe Louis featuring Flanafi, Tone Whitfield, Nazir Ebo</a>

Soul'd Out Presents Salami Rose Joe Louis at Jack London Revue, 529 SW 4th, Tues Nov 13, 8 pm, tables for 4-6 persons available from $140-$210, tickets here, 21+ w/ Omari Jazz

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.

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.

Did ESPN's Stephen Smith need to apologize for saying women need to be aware of provocation? The Barbershop guys weigh in.

NPR's Scott Simon is a singular presence on air but his name is fairly common. Scott reflects on the bond he's formed with others named ... Scott Simon.

China's government is censoring puns and wordplay on-line. NPR's Scott Simon explains why double meanings are a problem for Beijing.

NPR's A Martinez talks with Cary Baker, author of "Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street Music."

Voters really don't like inflation. In fact, whenever there's a sustained jump in the cost of living, the party in power often pays a price.

Major flooding events are increasingly common across the U.S., but homeowners looking for flood insurance will find few choices. The main providers of flood insurance is the U.S. government through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. But even though the NFIP is one of the only flood insurance games in town, it's drowning in debt. On today's episode, the NFIP's struggle to stay afloat.

Related listening:
Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify)
When insurers can't get insurance
Flood money

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Event date: November 14, 2024
Event Time: 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Location:
Jessie Turner Center
15556 Summit Ave
Fontana, CA 92335
Description:
Join the Fontana Chamber of Commerce for the monthly luncheon.

This week on Basic Black: In the wake of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, a look at Massachusetts' "stand your ground" proposal and recent efforts to pass or block the legislation. Also, the pending Supreme Court decision on the Obama administration's health care reform legislation: however they decide, what are the political ramifications for President Obama's re-election campaign and the impact on communities of color.

Our panel:
- Callie Crossley, host and executive editor, The Callie Crossley Show
- Kim McLarin, author and assistant professor of writing, literature, and publishing, Emerson College
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH Radio



(Image source via Creative Commons: xtopalopaquetl)

(Originally broadcast on April 13, 2012)

In a country where an African American boy can grow up to be president, the tragedy of Trayvon Martin's death is one in a continuum in the stories of young black men whose lives end at the intersection of race and violence. The facts of the case in the fatal shooting death of Trayvon Martin continue to be debated, but in addition to the headlines and specific events of that night, our Basic Black conversation focuses on the myriad of themes and persistent questions about what it means to grow up black and male in America.

Panel:
- Latoyia Edwards, lead anchor, New England Cable News
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, author and assistant professor of writing, Emerson College
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history and founding director of the Center for the Study of Race & Democracy, Tufts University
- Laurence Ralph, assistant professor of African American History & Anthropology, Harvard University

February 1, 2013

As 2013 begins the national debate on gun control is in high gear. Advocates from all sides have descended on Washington, DC to sway a divided Congress to their side. But the action isn't limited to the halls of Congress; the persistent issue of gun control is also being debated in local communities across the country. And for communities historically battered by gun violence, the conversation takes on an increased intensity.


Our panel this week:
- Latoyia Edwards, anchor, New England Cable News
- Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature and publishing, Emerson College
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Lionel McPherson, associate professor, philosophy, Tufts University



Image source: Change Liu/Flickr

When The Winter’s Tale was first staged in the early 17th Century, Shakespeare wrote his most infamous stage direction...

When New Hampshire author John Brighton was six years old, his family bought a lakeside farm in Washington, a small town in New Hampshire's Sullivan County.

A sunny Saturday is on tap for our first November weekend. The sunshine will eventually give way to clouds, and the forecast shows several chances for rain ahead.

Expect cloudy skies with sporadic rain showers for our Sunday. Breezy winds out of the south-southeast 10-20 mph. This week, temperatures will stay above the seasonal average, reaching the 50s.

A cold front marching through the region pushes scattered showers and a few thunderstorms eastward across Wisconsin through Monday morning and into the afternoon. Rain chances return from the south overnight and spill into a wet Tuesday.

A milder and direr weather pattern sets up by Thursday across Minnesota.

Dense fog is expected early Wednesday morning, reducing visibility to less than one-quarter of a mile at times. Spotty sunshine will break through with mainly dry conditions. A pleasant warming trend will follow with temperatures reaching the mid-50s by Friday.

A sunnier weather pattern returns Thursday and Friday.

Another morning of dense fog that will dissipate, paving the way for sunny skies Thursday. Gentle breezes with temperatures expected to reach the upper 40s, close to 50 degrees.

Some rare November sunshine is on tap for our Friday. Temperatures continue to trend above our seasonal average with highs in the 50s expected. Our next weather system will bring some intermittent, light rain showers for the weekend.

Rain chances will increase Saturday night into Sunday morning, on the backside of a low pressure system as it moves towards the Great Lakes region. Precipitation amounts of between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are possible.

Cloudy skies and scattered showers will persist into Sunday morning as a low-pressure system tracks from southeastern Minnesota into central Wisconsin. Temperatures will cool briefly to seasonal averages on Monday, followed by a warm-up and breezy winds as the week wraps up.

We’ll have another day of cool sunshine Tuesday. The next system will develop rain showers for Wednesday. Temperatures will be warming up by Friday and Saturday. 

Asst. Prof. Koichiro Ito finds fuel economy standards push manufacturers to make bigger cars

Prof. Wendy Freedman discusses benefits of multiple telescopes

Prof. Howard Nusbaum explains audio phenomenon

While conducting research at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, a music theory professor discovered manuscripts of music that haven't been heard since World War II.

Tickets for the May 3 show go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday.