Opinion
Time for a new look at Oregon’s youth justice policies
For months, we have heard story after story in the national media about young people — often young people of color — who have been abused by our criminal justice system. The latest story, out of New York, was about Kalief Browder, a young man who was arrested at 16 and spent three years in…
A son’s lessons on Father’s Day
On this Father’s Day, my thoughts turn to two fathers — Ham Fish and Joe Biden — and the lessons I learned from both. I have never met Joe Biden, but our families share a common bond. My father, Hamilton (Ham) Fish, Jr., served in the House of Representatives for 26 years. He was a…
Director’s Desk: The streets are alive with the good, the bad and the ugly
The streets are hot, literally. It’s summertime in the city. People are everywhere. If you are a Portlander then you’re probably spending as much time as possible soaking up the sun. It’s that time. The days are longer. Our senses seem sharper. The morning coffee and the evening breeze taste and feel just a little…
News
Eviction education, in a comic book form
In the comic, the renters’ attorney asks in court whether the landlord has any documentation proving the tenants are bad and should be forced to move out. “They’re terrible tenants; they just ARE!” the landlord replies. The renter responds, holding up documentation: “Your honor, we asked for repairs, and received an eviction notice three days…
Pictures: Father’s Day in Old Town
What do you think of when I say, “Father’s Day?” Does your mind instantly bring up an image of your own father? Of a childhood memory you shared? Is it something that brings a smile to your face? Since coming to the city 25 years ago I’ve had a strong connection to the Old Town…
‘Born again in Ferguson’
The Rev. Osagyefo Sekou — organizer, pastor, theologian and author — has found a new calling on the front lines of Ferguson and Baltimore. Sekou was the Martin Luther King Scholar in Residence at Stanford University when he was sent to Ferguson, Mo., on behalf of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the country’s oldest interfaith peace…
Social worker to help library defuse crises
Multnomah County Library is preparing to hire its first full-time social worker to aid library staff in defusing on-premise mental health crises and to better serve patrons in need of social services. Multnomah County commissioners acting as the Library District Board approved an $85,000 allocation of library district funding Thursday to pay for the one-year,…
God and global warming
Katharine Hayhoe never goes where she’s not invited, and when she accepts an invitation, she usually finds herself surrounded by people who vehemently disagree with her. Hayhoe, 43, is one of the nation’s foremost atmospheric scientists. She was lead author of the second and third U.S. National Climate Assessments, she directs the Climate Science Center…
