Friday Digest: December 24, 2021

Local governments scramble to meet severe winter weather needs The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the Greater Portland Metro Area and the I-5 Corridor through Monday morning. In response, the city of Portland, Multnomah County, the state of Oregon, and other local governments have announced states of emergency extending until… Continue reading Friday Digest: December 24, 2021

Wednesday Digest: December 22, 2021

Oregon health officials are projecting that an omicron variant surge of COVID-19 could easily overwhelm hospitals in the state beyond even what we say during the delta surge early this year. They’re currently expecting a peak in February with a rapid rise after holiday travel.

Monday Digest: December 20, 2012

Meli Lewis, a journalist with Reveal, published a look at homelessness in Portland that highlighted some key issues with Dan Ryan’s push for Safe Rest Villages. The reporting, which includes a 55-minute audio episode, focuses on the Lents Park area. Please note that there are discussions of suicide, police violence, and drug use. Lewis spent… Continue reading Monday Digest: December 20, 2012

Friday Digest: December 17, 2021

Betsy Johnson announced her resignation from the Oregon Senate, effective December 15, in order to focus on her campaign for governor. Johnson was elected as a Democrat to represent Senate District 16, including parts Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, Washington and Multnomah Counties, through the end of 2022. Johnson is running as an independent candidate for governor,… Continue reading Friday Digest: December 17, 2021

The State of Portland News (Part Two)

"Newspapers B&W (3)" by NS Newsflash

I’ve done a lot of research into Portland’s local news ecosystem, as well as the national trends that have shaped it, as part of creating this site. Given the substantial impact of local reporting on local elections, I’ve put together this overview on some of the different facets of Portland’s media. I’ve divided this article… Continue reading The State of Portland News (Part Two)

Wednesday Digest: December 15, 2021

Quick reminder! Today, Wednesday, Dec. 15, is the last day to enroll or change health insurance plans for 2022 through the public exchange. Oregon residents can purchase health insurance through HealthCare.gov. The Oregon state legislature spent a lot of money during Monday’s special session: $100 million to replenish the state’s rent assistance program $100 million… Continue reading Wednesday Digest: December 15, 2021

Election Mixtape: December 13, 2021

Governor Kate Brown called a special session of the Oregon legislature with the goal of preventing a coming wave of evictions which started this morning. In order to conduct any business, two-thirds of both the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon Senate must be present. There’s some concern, however, that Republicans may refuse to… Continue reading Election Mixtape: December 13, 2021

Election Mixtape: December 10, 2021

Sunrise Movement PDX sent an open letter to Governor Kate Brown last week, detailing the environmental group’s demands for the Oregon Department of Transportation to move the state towards decarbonizing our transportation system: Youth Vs. ODOT and Sunrise hubs around Oregon worked on a letter this week to Governor Brown. We discussed her leadership, our… Continue reading Election Mixtape: December 10, 2021

The State of Portland News (Part One)

"Newspapers B&W (3)" by NS Newsflash

I’ve done a lot of research into Portland’s local news ecosystem, as well as the national trends that have shaped it, as part of creating this site. Given the substantial impact of local reporting on local elections, I’ve put together this overview on some of the different facets of Portland’s media. I’ve divided this article… Continue reading The State of Portland News (Part One)

Election Mixtape: December 8, 2021

Several public comment periods are closing soon, so make your opinion known! The City of Portland’s Open and Accountable Elections program has new administrative rules going into the 2022 election. Comments are due today (December 8) by 5 p.m. PST. Here’s a comparison of the 2020 administrative rules (in orange) and 2021 administrative rules (in… Continue reading Election Mixtape: December 8, 2021