Back to In-Person School
By Jack Rubinger From teens to toddlers, the transition to in-person back to school is happening all over town. It’s an anxious time for parents, administrators and teachers, but most …
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Local Headlines
CRC Bridge Replacement Project
By Don MacGillivray The modernization of the I-5 Columbia River freeway bridge between Portland and Vancouver is a critical objective for the next decade. The I-5 Bridge, previously known as …
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Calls for Blood Donations Amidst Pacific Northwest Shortage
By Daniel Perez-Crouse “If you’re looking for something good to do, you will literally save someone’s life,” said VP for Blood Services at Bloodworks Northwest, Vicki Finson. She is referring …
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Charter Review Commission Update
By David Krogh Over the last year, Portland Charter Review Commission has been busy learning the charter process and taking initial testimony from both the public and city officials. The …
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OCCL Continues to Change to Address Problems
By Don MacGillivray It might be said that Portland’s Office of Community and Civic Life (OCCL) is a Utopian experiment that potentially could save us from a Dystopian present. Portland …
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Lines for Life
By Jack Rubinger Lines for Life is casting a wide net to reach Oregonians in need of community resources and assistance. The program is driven by the devastating impact of …
Free Dental Care for Portland Kids
By Nancy Tannler Dental 3 (D3) was formed in 2014 as a partnership with Medicaid Dental Plans, Coordinated Care Organizations and Community Partners in the Portland metropolitan community. They serve …
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New Kellogg Middle School Opens
By David Mayne The new Kellogg Middle School at 3330 SE 69th Ave. is complete and awaiting its Grand Opening on Saturday, August 28, 10 am. The ribbon cutting ceremony …
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City Repair Project Brings Art to the Streets
By Ellen Spitaleri The City Repair Project is a nonprofit with a mission to educate and inspire communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live and gather. …
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LWV Police Study: Opportunities for Change
By Don MacGillivray Policing in Portland is in torment over racism, human rights, mental health, violence and public safety issues. This is not new. Studies and reports have circulated nationwide …
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North Tabor Freeway Noise
By Gabe Frayne Among the inconveniences wrought by the Coronavirus pandemic, one that is ever more bothersome to residents of the North Tabor neighborhood is the increase in freeway noise …
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Liveability and Affordability: The Future of Senior Housing in Oregon
By Nancy Tannler In the state of Oregon, there are approximately 440,000 adults over the age of 65. This number is expected to increase by 300,000 in the next 15 …
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Nursing Struggles at Unity Center for Behavioral Health
By Daniel Perez-Crouse Unity Center for Behavioral Health, founded in 2017, is a 24-hour mental health services center and a joint effort by Legacy Health, OHSU, Kaiser Permanente and Adventist …
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Magic in the Mushrooms: Psilocybin as a Healer
By Nancy Tannler June is Brain Awareness month and Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) has been offering a series of lectures on this complicated organ. The lecture Psychedelic Therapy: The …
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New Proposal Seeks to Improve Building Procedures
By Daniel Perez-Crouse A public hearing on the Design Overlay Zone Amendments (DOZA) proposals was held May 12. There were dozens of testimonies with varying points of agreement and opposition …
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21st Century Doughnut Economics
By Don MacGillivray A recent article in Forbes magazine has suggested that Portland is dying. The article’s author stated that Portland’s ranking among major US cities has dropped from 11 …
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Post-Pandemic Portland: Will SE Ever Be the Same?
By Gabe Frayne It was a fitting denouement to the year 2020: The Rocking Frog café at the corner of Belmont St. and SE 25th Ave., a mainstay of SE …
Post-Pandemic Portland: Will SE Ever Be the Same? Read More
History of Homelessness
By Don MacGillivray Homelessness in Portland was generally unseen until the 1980s when it was exposed by various economic and social changes. These included a lack of growth in real …
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Ethics of Vaccine Allocation
By Nancy Tannler As all Americans begin to queue up to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, medical ethicists want to be sure to prioritize racial minorities. In Oregon, our first allocations went …
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Oregon’s New Medicaid Waiver Implications
By Daniel Perez-Crouse Oregon’s 1115 Medical Waiver is up for renewal in 2022 and a focus addressing Governor Kate Brown’s directives on healthcare quality/inequities and cost savings for the state …
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Inner SE Action Panel Meets
By David Krogh Inner Southeast Action (ISA) held a panel discussion as part of their monthly meeting March 2 to discuss the Residential Infill Project (RIP) and related programs adopted …
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Shelter to Housing (S2HC) Clarification
By Nancy Tannler In the March edition of The Southeast Examiner the article, “S2HC Offers Remedies for the Houseless” stated, “There will be no camping in natural areas, environmental zones …
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Police Union Faces Funding, Staffing and Public Relations Difficulties
Op-Ed By Don MacGillivray Currently the City of Portland and the police union are in the middle of difficult contract negotiations. There is a high degree of polarization going on …
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Portland Street Response Launches
By Nancy Tannler The Portland Street Response (PSR) program launched their first four-person team on February 16 in the Lents neighborhood. PSR is an alternative to sending the police to …
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Multnomah County Justice System
By Don MacGillivray Over the summer, Portland’s impassioned demonstrations and accompanying riots have received national attention. Law enforcement in Portland has been seriously scrutinized, but the other half of the …
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Webinars Focus on Racial and Housing Equity
By David Krogh Ever since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May, there has been an increase in awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement and groups calling …
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Laurelwood Park Construction Underway
By Ellen Spitaleri It has been a long time coming, but construction has finally begun on improvements to Laurelwood Park, a third-of-an-acre green space at the intersection of SE Foster …
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S2HC Offers Remedies for the Houseless
By Nancy Tannler The Shelter to Housing Continuum (S2HC) will file an ordinance to adopt the new codes for City Council’s approval this month. This joint effort of the Bureau …
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Thanksgiving Vandalism on Hawthorne Sparks Awareness
By Jack Rubinger The vandalism, graffiti and other destructive activities that took place in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving on Hawthorne Blvd. had messages about issues facing indigenous peoples. …
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Portland’s Struggle with Diversity
By Don MacGillivray Portland is known for its lack of racial diversity and its lack of African Americans. With the Black population at six percent and Latinos at 10 percent …
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Measure 101 Promises Addiction Recovery Tools
By Nancy Tannler In November, 58 percent of Oregon voters approved ballot Measure 110. This yes vote is intended to provide the state with more addiction recovery services, partially financed …
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Commissioner Bureau Assignments for 2021
By David Krogh As one of the by-products of Portland’s Commission form of government, City Council members (each of whom are referred to as “Commissioner”) are assigned to oversee city …
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City Commissioners Raise Safety Concerns
By David Krogh Mayor Ted Wheeler has made the Commissioner bureau assignments for 2021 and will have oversight of the Police Bureau under his umbrella. In response, City Council Commissioners …
City Commissioners Raise Safety Concerns Read More
Feed the Mass Feeds the Community
By Ellen Spitaleri Everyone is hoping for better times in 2021, but Jacobsen Valentine has specific items on his wish list for the new year. As the founder and executive …
Feed the Mass Feeds the Community Read More
The Beginning and End of Laurelhurst Camping
By Don MacGillivray Since early spring, the Laurelhurst Park homeless camp along SE Oak St. grew until it was finally removed a week before Thanksgiving. A few tents appeared along …
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Charter Commission Chosen
By David Krogh Portland City Council formally appointed 20 community members to the 2021 Charter Commission on December 3. The Commission will meet throughout a two-year period to identify issues …
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Nurses Propel Healthcare Reform
By Nancy Tannler As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, we have all become aware of the important duty front line workers are taking on in this crisis. It has …
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Avenue of the Roses 15th Anniversary
By Jack Rubinger While many of us drive up and down 82nd Ave., the sights and sounds are familiar – car dealerships, fast food restaurants and the occasional dispensary. Certainly …
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Rethink PDX
By Don MacGillivray No one ever dreamed that peace loving, but weird, Portland, OR would become a center of attention for nightly rioting and citizen demands for law and order …
Bartlett vs. The City
By Nancy Tannler When Mark Bartlett first requested access to legal opinions and documents from the City Attorney back in 2015, he never imagined it would take five years, four …
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Fiber Network Study
By Daniel Perez-Crouse A new study commissioned by Multnomah County (and neighboring cities) assessed the feasibility of a publicly owned fiber-to-the-premises network. The study provides data and information relevant to …
Winter Healthy Businesses Program
By Nancy Tannler Beginning last month, business owners could apply for free permits to winterize their existing street space or to create one. PBOT, Portland Bureau of Transportation, started the …
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Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
By Gabe Frayne Picture, if you will, your last visit to Chicago, New York or any other noisy megalopolis. While visual images may come to mind, sounds are equally evocative. …
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Police Oversight Measure on Ballot
By Don MacGillivray A plea for police accountability has been the root cause of the nightly unrest in the streets of Portland. Demonstrators want police reform so that people of …
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Equalizing the Future: Measure 26-214
By Nancy Tannler Voters in Multnomah County will decide on Preschool for All, Ballot Measure 26-214 in November. Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, District 3, championed this cause along …
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Mayoral, City Commissioner Races
By Midge Pierce The November ballot will include two City Council positions with run-offs against Portland’s Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Eudaly. As violence, crime and houselessness rise and confidence in …
Mayoral, City Commissioner Races Read More
Legalizing Psilocybin
By Jack Rubinger Oregonians will vote on whether to legalize psilocybin in November. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms. Oregon Measure …
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Library Seeks Levy for New Building and Expansions
By Midge Pierce Multnomah County Library officials are forging ahead with a measure on the November ballot during a time when household finances have already been impacted by the pandemic. …
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PBOT Releases Alternatives Evaluation for Hawthorne Pave and Paint
By Kris McDowell In early September, on the heels of public input and technical analysis, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) released an alternatives evaluation for the Hawthorne Pave and …
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Measure 26-213: PP&R Operating Levy
By Ellen Spitaleri A normal summer for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) features crowded swimming pools, alert lifeguards and plenty of outdoor activities for families and seniors. However, the summer …
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Southeast in the Loop
By Nancy Tannler The Green Loop was approved in 2012 by City Council as part of the Central City 2035 Plan. It is a six-mile, linear park and active transportation …
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Safe Streets | Healthy Businesses
By Nancy Tannler The people of Portland are not ones to crumble in the face of adversity. Small business has been hit hard during this global pandemic, but they are …
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Housing Affordability for the Long-Term
By Gabe Frayne In 1955 the New York state legislature, facing rising urban poverty, enacted the Mitchell-Lama housing program, which allowed private developers to build affordable rental housing in exchange …
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PPS Stresses Safety in Fall Reopening Plans
Editor’s Note: The Southeast Examiner went to press before Portland Public Schools announced earlier this week that it would not reopen classrooms in September and only distance learning would be …
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Portland Street Response Gearing Up
By Nancy Tannler At the July meeting of the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association (LNLA), Tremaine Clayton of Portland Fire & Rescue gave an update on Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty’s plans …
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SE Stands Up for Reform
By Midge Pierce Portland has a new police chief, a revamped police budget and is on its way toward significant police reform influenced by momentum gained outside SE Portland’s Revolution …
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Foreseeing Future Utility Rates
By Nancy Tannler After reading an article in the June edition about the cost of water in the near future, a reader inquired about other utility rates over the next …
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Debate Over RIP Continues
By Midge Pierce In the midst of the dual challenges of pandemic and civil unrest, Commissioners heard two days of public comment on amendments to the controversial Residential Infill Project …
Debate Over RIP Continues Read More
Burnside Bridge Replacement Design Chosen
By Midge Pierce Portland will have a new, Long Span, seismically safe Burnside Bridge within the decade; more than a century after the original span was built, if all goes …
Burnside Bridge Replacement Design Chosen Read More
PPS Charging Ahead with Electric School Buses
By Jack Rubinger Portland Public Schools (PPS) was recently awarded a grant from Portland General Electric (PGE) and PacifiCorp to purchase an electric bus and install a charging station. “We …
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Taking Another Look at Filtration
Note to readers: The Portland Water Bureau (PWB) contacted The Southeast Examiner after publication of this article in the June 2020 issue with concerns about inaccuracies. Below the original article …
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Oregon’s May Primary Produces Runoff Elections
By David Krogh Thanks to Oregon’s mail-in ballot procedure, the May 19 Primary was relatively uneventful compared with other states. This year’s Primary Election was unique – not only did …
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Removing Regulatory Barriers to Development
By Nancy Tannler Over the past 18 months, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has been working on a project called Expanding Opportunities for Affordable Housing. The code change …
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Pandemic Refocuses Library Priorities
By Midge Pierce Since closing on March 14 due to COVID-19, Multnomah County Library (MCL) has ventured deeper into the world of electronic media delivery, nearly tripling its material costs …
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Portland’s Fraud Hotline
By Jack Rubinger It’s hard to say exactly why whistleblowers are busting Portland Water Bureau (PWB) and Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) employees, but the good news is there’s a …
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Climate Crisis in the Age of COVID-19
By Midge Pierce Before the world ground to a corona virus-induced halt, climate seemed the Earth’s most pressing problem. Yet, long after this virus crisis passes, the Earth will still …
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Affordable Housing, Part Two
By Gabe Frayne The City of Portland continues to make measured progress in its mission to provide affordable housing to low and moderate income residents frozen out of the booming …
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CANCELLATION NOTICE
Many events are being cancelled and we are updating this site as we are notified of cancellations. We encourage you to check with individual venues before heading to any event.
Police Bureau Pledges Ongoing Reforms
By Midge Pierce A spike in gun violence has added steam to Portland residents who talk of leaving the City and its problems behind. New Police Chief Jami Resch gets …
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Hawthorne Pave and Paint Project
By David Krogh The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is undertaking a project which will impact SE Hawthorne Blvd. from SE 24th Ave to SE 50th Ave. The SE Hawthorne …
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Pilot Program to Address Non-Emergency Police Calls
By Nancy Tannler At the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting (LNLA), a presentation was given that explains Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty’s plans to assist the police and fire departments with …
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Courts Create Confusion on Homeless Camping Bans
By David Krogh As previously reported in The Southeast Examiner, the City of Salem recently instituted a ban on camping on public property aimed at curbing homeless camps and litter …
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Burnside Bridge: Retrofit or Rebuild?
By Midge Pierce Despite living in an earthquake zone, few Portland residents think about the danger of crossing the Willamette River on our aging bridges. Yet for 40,000 cars crossing …
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Richmond Considers Parking Permits
By Midge Pierce Few issues rile up Portlanders quite so much as parking. On the eastside, it is dividing those who seek it from those who seek to reduce it. …
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Fixing Our Streets
By Don MacGillivray The congestion and poor condition of Portland streets is a frequent public complaint. The first effort at “Fixing Our Streets” was a 10 cents per gallon gas …
Portland’s Struggle with Affordable Housing
By Gabe Frayne Jeanne Favini looks back with a mixture of bitterness and embarrassment at the moment she realized she faced an imminent choice between homelessness or moving into her …
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SE Uplift Names New Executive Director
SE Uplift announced that Leroy Eadie has been hired to fill the Executive Director role that was vacated when Molly Mayo left. He comes to the organization with over 25 …
SE Uplift Names New Executive Director Read More
OCCL Seeks 3.96 Resolution
By Midge Pierce Code Change 3.96 would reform Portland’s public engagement system, and is intended to give marginalized communities more voice. After accusations that Office for Community and Civic Life …
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Campaign Fund Complaints Hit Council Candidates
By David Krogh Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, his election opponent Ozzie Gonzalez and City Council candidate Jack Kerfoot were hit with campaign finance complaints on January 9. Ronald Buel, representing …
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Police Strive to Turn Tide of Crime and Negativity
By Midge Pierce A perfect storm of conditions: an unprecedented police shortage, anti-police sentiment and diminishing crime prevention activity may threaten Portland’s safety. This summer’s contract negotiations could add to …
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Commissioner Nick Fish Passes Away
By David Krogh Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish lost his battle with stomach cancer Thursday, January 2 and passed away at his home with family present. Only two days prior, …
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RIP Gains Traction Amid Calls for More Density
By Midge Pierce Like it or not, quadplexes and possibly six or eight plexes are likely coming soon to Portland’s single family neighborhoods. That is the expectation following city council …
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Painting the Streets Red
By David Krogh During the last week in October, City crews painted two of the bus only lanes in downtown Portland’s transit mall a bright shade of red as an …
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Council Wrestles Over Contentious Code and Infill Proposals
By Midge Pierce As old Portland and new spar over the City’s future, Commissioners are in the hotseat hearing issues that split the City and blame current residents for past …
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Treating Portland’s Water: Filtration vs. UV and Ozone
By Nancy Tannler On December 4, 2019 City Council Commissioners Amanda Fritz, Nick Fish and Mayor Ted Wheeler voted to proceed with Portland Water Bureau’s (PWB) plans to construct a …
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Oregon’s Primary Coming Up in May
By David Krogh May 19, 2020 is the date for Oregon’s primary election. Regarding the Portland City Commission, there are three positions up for grabs. The positions and candidates registered …
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PCC Reaches Agreements with Faculty and Academics
By Jack Rubinger Portland Community College (PCC) reached tentative agreements with the Federation of Classified Employees and the Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals December 13 for successor contracts covering …
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City Takes Trees and Climate Seriously
By Midge Pierce As Fire Drill Friday climate protests swept the globe imploring action to save the planet, Portland took steps to curtail carbon emissions and protect the urban tree …
City Takes Trees and Climate Seriously Read More
OLCC Bans CBD + Alcohol
In late December, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) adopted a rules amendment to ban the inclusion of CBD in manufactured products. They will be taking a closer look into …
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New Seasons’ New Owners
By Midge Pierce Since New Seasons announced its sale under Good Food Holdings to South Korean E-mart, reactions at both the Hawthorne and Sellwood stores ranged from shrugs, to chagrins …
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Oregon’s Distracted Driving Fines Are Highest in the Nation
By David Krogh Oregon’s distracted driving fines are the highest in the US. Rosenblum Law, a New Jersey law firm, conducted a survey and determined that first time offenders in …
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Walkabout Kicks Off Alliance
By Midge Pierce A coalition called Inner Powell Alliance (IPA) has formed with Creston-Kenilworth, Richmond, Hosford Abernethy and Brooklyn Neighborhood Associations to improve safety and livability along Powell Blvd. With …
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Neighborhood Associations Live Another Day
By Midge Pierce Score a success for neighbors seeking to retain a pipeline to City Hall. Postponement of a code change vote that could have upended Portland’s renowned Neighborhood Association …
Neighborhood Associations Live Another Day Read More
Preschool Education Addressed, Funding Increased
By Don MacGillivray Housing costs, transportation, homelessness and poverty were the highest concerns from Oregonians surveyed in a recent poll conducted this fall by DHM Research. Other high priority issues …
Preschool Education Addressed, Funding Increased Read More
Helping Oregon’s Veterans
By Nancy Tannler After twenty-two years in the military watching over the lives and well being of her fellow soldiers, Sergeant Tina Kennedy returned to civilian life only to see …
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DOZA: Changing the City’s Design Review Process
By David Krogh By the year 2035, the City is expected to grow by 123,000 households. Since Portland’s leaders have determined Portland will grow up and not out, most of …
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Congestion Pricing
By Don MacGillivray Road congestion has almost reached the breaking point. Rush hour traffic is terrible on many freeways and arterials. Unless a major solution is found, the situation can …
The District Office
By Jack Rubinger The District Office, at the corner of Stark and MLK, is one of Portland’s first cross-laminated timber buildings; a new and exciting innovation using decarbonized methods and …
Solve Volunteers Clean Up
By Larissa Gordon From Astoria to Brookings, Baker City to Medford, over 5,500 dedicated volunteers came out in full swing, Saturday, September 21, to take care of Oregon as part …
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A Day of Climate Action
By Midge Pierce Greta Thunberg should take heart. The planet’s children have issued a spectacular message that climate is a ticking timebomb. As schools emptied across the globe on September …
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