News
Drawing a controversy: Victor S. Navasky traces the radical roots of political cartoons and their power to provoke
Throughout modern history, political cartoonists have been threatened, censored, jailed and even murdered because of their art. In his book, “The Art of Controversy: Political Cartoons and Their Enduring Power” (Knopf), writer and editor Victor S. Navasky examines the elusive power of political cartoons and includes a rich array of notable examples. In this wide-ranging…
Back beat: Beth Wooten, the executive director of Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, on the international appeal of empowering women — young and old
After graduating from law school, Beth Wooten found herself hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, in a dismal job market, at the height of the recession. She decided to forgo taking the bar exam and look to other work options. She turned to another calling — her music and activism for young women. In…
The climate has changed, we haven’t. French artist Philippe Squarzoni brings us a fresh take on global warming
Can we change? Can civilization mount an adequate response to human-caused global warming and climate change? Do we still have time? These questions sometimes lurk in the background and sometimes hit us in the face in “Climate Changed,” a groundbreaking feat of environmental journalism by French artist Philippe Squarzoni. You might not like his answers,…
An ICE-y reception: Immigration officials unfazed by judge’s ruling on local detentions
Last month, a U.S. District court ruling in Portland started a chain reaction that’s slowly stripping U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of a controversial policing tool. However, from a data-sharing program to a new mobile fingerprinting initiative, many immigrant rights’ advocates suspect ICE has a few technological tricks up its sleeve — tricks, they…
Housing organizations speak out on high cost of street fee
Add low-income housing managers and advocates to the list of people and organizations speaking out against the proposed transportation fee. By their calculation, the fee would impact nonprofit housing organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, including those housing the disabled, elderly and others with no income – or car, for that matter. The mayor’s…
For the Record: May 23-June 5, 2014
-Number of children in 2012 who were uninsured in Oregon: 8,389 -Number of children who were in poverty in 2012 in Oregon: 36,441 -Percent of children in Multnomah County child welfare custody who are Native American: 21 -High school graduation rate for Native Americans in Oregon: 50.8 -People in Oregon who received food stamps in…
Opinion
Profitable corporations are sidestepping Oregon income taxes
Some highly profitable corporations are finding ways to avoid paying any state income taxes, Oregon and national data show. At least 24 corporations that made a profit in Oregon in 2011, including eight with profits of more than $5 million, paid no Oregon income taxes for that year, according to the Oregon Center for Public…
Airbnb and VRBO tax should go towards housing
It’s no secret that Portland is experiencing rapid growth. Neighborhoods in downtown and in Portland’s inner core are booming. Many local businesses are thriving. All one has to do to experience the prosperity is spend a night in any number of Portland neighborhoods to see that the whiskey is flowing and life is good. The…
Street fee tax needs broad community support
Portland needs better roads and transportation services, and short of money, there’s no easy answer to how to make it happen. But we need a better plan than the proposed Street Fee racing through City Hall. The transportation fee on households and businesses is a poor tool for fiscal management and puts yet another bill…
