Opinion
Dizzy Dan’s Hologram: Part II — Cardiology
I was gliding down a hospital corridor on a gurney with an IV drip rolling next to me. It was surreal. The coldness defined this as reality, not a dream. Both the surreal and cold sensations were a result of the 50 to 60 Trazadone I had ingested earlier that night. The interns rolled me…
Public safety that makes sense, costs less, rebuilds lives
Oregon faced a public safety crisis in 2013: the state’s prison population had grown at a rapid rate between 2012 and 2013. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, our prison population grew by 3.5 percent – the fifth highest rate in the country and more than three times faster than the national average. Why…
Oregon poised to give outdated privacy laws a reboot
Edward Snowden revealed to the world the great extent of government overreach and mass surveillance on a national scale. As the 2015 Oregon Legislature convenes in Salem next week, curbing warrantless spying here at home should be at the top of its agenda. With Sens. Chip Shields (D-Portland) and Tim Knopp (R-Bend) and Reps. Jennifer…
Ending homelessness starts with human rights
A common misnomer in many communities, including Portland, is that when you offer services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty, you attract more people experiencing homelessness. We call it the magnet myth. The reality is this kind of thinking doesn’t translate to the realities local communities face throughout the country. More times than not, it…
Paid sick leave common sense, smart business
Despite the 24-hour nonstop work ethic of this digital age, employees aren’t machines. They have families, children, unexpected life events and sometimes they get sick. Unfortunately, too many in our workforce are unable to take a day or two away from work — without being financially burdened by a loss in wages or worse —…
Vendor Profiles
Vendor profile: Richard Rowe — one little goal at a time
Richard Rowe moved to the Portland area just over a year ago from Texas, where he did maintenance on oil rigs. It was a dangerous job. Not as dangerous as drilling, he says, but well-paid and suited to his skills. He lost his job when oil prices fell and he became homeless for a spell.…
News
Language barriers; the Somali community wants PPS to find a better way to teach its failing youth
Batula Mohamud can’t tell you her age. On paper she’s 26, but she says she’s most likely younger – probably 22 or 23 years old. She was born in Somalia but was forced to flee the country with her mother and siblings when she was a baby to escape the ongoing conflict. For most of…
Foot soldiers of the Civil Rights era, past and present
History is written by the victors.” At least, that’s what a famous quote tells us. Trouble is, there’s no real agreement on who spoke or wrote those words. Maybe it was Niccolò Machiavelli, author of the 16th-century work of political philosophy, “The Prince.” Or maybe it was former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Or maybe…
… And get plenty of rest: Lawmakers in Salem intend to make paid sick days a statewide standard
Anjeanette Brown lives in Portland and works in Gresham. For about a year, now, she’s been a waitress for a local restaurant that is part of a chain, and has worked with the parent company for 10 years, off and on. Prior to taking her current position, Brown worked in construction for about three years.…
