Hey Portland, another glorious Friday has arrived! It may not be a holiday, but there’s no such thing as “just a Friday” here in Stumptown. Let me tell you about today.
First, today’s weather:
The rain continues on this cloudy day with a high of 56.
Here are the top five stories today in Portland:
- While the area is opening up, fewer people are wearing masks and more people are gathering in large groups as if the pandemic is a thing of the past, the virus is still very much here. The Oregon Health Authority said Wednesday that there had been 12,234 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in the state during the past two weeks, more than double the 5,980 that had been diagnosed the previous two weeks. Hospitalizations also rose to 218, up from 202 the two weeks previous. (Portland Patch)
- The recent “Point In Time” count found there were more than 6,600 people who were homeless across the Portland metro area on one night in late January. The count, held on Jan 26 was the first in two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Crews talked to people on the streets, in camps and at shelters to learn more about who they are. There were 6,633 people counted as experiencing homelessness across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties that night. (KATU)
- Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has proposed a $6.7 billion budget that attempts to tackle several of the basic quality of life issues that have many of his constituents furious with the city and worried about its direction: homelessness, crime and trash. The mayor’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which he sent to the press Wednesday, covers the period from July 1 through the end of June 2023. The mayor had $621 million in discretionary, general fund money — that’s the pot of funding on which there are few spending restrictions. (OPB)
- Election Day is just two weeks away and Clackamas County elections office is dealing with a big problem. It says the machines aren’t able to count a large number of ballots. “Yesterday was the day we started opening ballots to prepare for tally,” Clackamas County clerk Sherry Clark explained. Clark said that’s when elections office employees realized Countless ballots have defective barcodeswhich tells the counting machine how to read the ballot. Clark said they don’t know exactly how many barcodes are unreadable but told KOIN 6 News the number is high — likely two-thirds of the 309,000 ballots sent to Clackamas County voters. (KOIN)
- With summer just around the corner, Airbnb has announced a plan to help prevent unauthorized parties in Portland and promote safe and responsible travel. The main focus of this new plan is to block one-night reservations on large holiday weekends in Portland and across the country. in 2020, Airbnb initiated new policies to prevent unauthorized parties for Halloween and New Year’s Eve. Last year, it enforced the same policies of the ‘Global Party Ban’ for Fourth of July. Today, it has announced it’s enforcing strict anti-party rules just in time for Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July. (KPTV)
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- Travel Portland: “The @PDXSoapBoxDerby, one of the city’s greatest traditions, is back this summer! The race isn’t until Aug 20, but we’re giving you an early heads-up so you can plan accordingly. All the details in the link in our bio! #ThisIsPortland…” (Instagram)
- Oregon Historical Society: “Join OHS and the Portland Chinatown Museum Saturday, May 7, for the sixth annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration. A 150-foot dragon will be roaring out of quarantine to celebrate spring with lion dancers, performe…” (Facebook)
- For several decades, Portland once had a thriving Japantown. That neighborhood was nearly erased, however, when Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps. Now, the goal of a new project looks to preserve their memory by showing the full history. “It’s everybody’s history,” said Chisao Hata with the Japanese American Museum of Oregon. “It’s all of our history, and so it’s part of Portland’s history. And we want it to be in the forefront into everybody’s awareness.” (KOIN)
- Portland was recently ranked in the top ten best cities in the US to open a small business. Client Giantan automated gifting service, named the Rose City as No. 9 on his list of the 10 best cities in America to start a small business. San Francisco, Austin, and Minneapolis took the top three spotsand our neighbors to the north – Seattle—ranked 7th on the list. Portland edged out Denverwhich lands in 10th place. The first week of May is National Small Business Week, prompting the report. (KATU)
- Cameras have long been used to relay the story of nature’s seasonal beauty. Gardeners say taking close-up photos of a tiny crab spider safe in a floral hideaway or a begonia with unusual texture, color and shape let them focus on the wonder in their yard rather than on-going chores. If you’d like to improve your photo skills or just be inspired by botanical arts, visit the Portland Garden Club’s free Floratopia flower show May 21-22 at the World Forestry Center in Portland’s Washington Park. (The Oregonians)
- This weekend is A Gathering of the Guilds / Ceramic Showcase 2022 at the Oregon Convention Center. the Oregon Potters Association’s Ceramic Showcase and the Gathering of the Guilds are reuniting to form one of the largest, unsurpassed art shows in the northwest. More than 300 artists working in metals, glass, wood, beads, fibers and clays and glazes will be exhibiting their wares, doing demonstrations, offering youth activities and more, during this unique and diverse three-day artisan show. In conjunction with the Oregon Potters Association’s Ceramic Showcasethe five Guilds participating in the show include Creative Metal Arts Guild, Oregon Glass Guild, Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, Portland Bead Society and Portland Handweavers Guild. Admission is free with easy public access via light rail, streetcar and bus plus plenty of parking. Find that one-of-a-kind gift at this popular event. (Gathering of the Guilds)
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Here’s to the start of our weekend, folks! Enjoy the day, but don’t forget to meet me back here tomorrow for more news from Portland.
— Dominic Anaya
About me: Doctor, educator and now a writer/artist, I’m just chillin’ in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, our chickens and our goats.
Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? Contact me at portland@patch.com