News
Readers help take newspaper to new level
There are many reasons why people rely on local media, and still many more why they rely on Street Roots. We are not just an engaging weekly news source; we are an income and advocate for hundreds of people experiencing poverty and homelessness in our city. Within our extraordinary network, we are a catalyst for…
Together, ex-Seattle street paper editor, vendor unearth a purpose
I’m not much of a hiker, so when Bryant Carlin forged off an established trail in Olympic National Park and led me through a tangle of moss and Pacific fern, I had to speak my mind. Not that I was surprised. We were on Day Five of a nine-day journey along the Bogachiel River, one…
Re-issued memoirs detail author’s bleak, Irish upbringing
There are certain expectations that go with genres. A memoir set in Ireland about a girl growing up in poverty evokes the image of lovable alcoholics, warm but flawed family relations and some kind of uplifting denouement where the child is mentored in a way to see the good in life. Martha Long’s “Ma” series,…
Street Roots co-founder discusses pulse of Native American journalism
Bryan Pollard is the executive editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, a monthly publication based in Tahlequah, Okla. Pollard is a lifetime member of the Native American Journalists Association and has served as a board member for NAJA and the North American Street Newspaper Association. He is a certified high school journalism teacher and has taught…
Joëlle Jones is killing it with comics
Joëlle Jones published her first illustrations in 2006 in Dark Horse Comics’ anthology “Sexy Chix.” Less than a decade later, the Portland artist’s body of work includes signature comic book superheroes Superman and Mockingbird. For those of you who do not dwell in alternate universes, Mockingbird is one of the best agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a…
New Multnomah County program aims to ready inmates for rehab
The jailhouse experience might start to feel more like rehab for some Multnomah County inmates. As soon as Oct. 1, a 59-bed dormitory inside Inverness Jail in Northeast Portland will exclusively house male inmates participating in a new drug and alcohol treatment readiness program. The program is aimed at helping offenders who are required to…
Ana Matronic: A life robotic
As a child in Portland in the 1970s, “chubby little kid” Ana Lynch thought it seemed thoroughly feasible that she’d grow up to visit distant galaxies with a trusty robot companion at her side. From the heady vantage point of 2015, it’s clear that technology didn’t quite keep pace with her ambition. While robots can…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: Billy Meyer
Billy Meyer has lost family members, but he has found a new family. His first family adopted him when he and his twin sister were 3 days old. “I grew up in a very diverse family in Kansas City, Mo.,” Billy says. “I had an older brother who was Welsh. And then my little sister,…
Opinion
Director’s Desk: Times call for a fresh approach to tent cities
It’s time for the city and county to support scaling up the tent city model in our region. Being able to find a permanent location for Right 2 Dream Too on the east side was a great first step, but it’s not enough. Neighborhoods and businesses might not like the idea of allowing more tent cities,…
