News
Accessing reproductive health care remains challenging for many Oregonians
After advocating for abortion rights professionally for years, Liz Starke, development director at Rose Haven — a day shelter and community center for women, children and nonbinary people — faced a very personal decision earlier this year. Even though she was in a stable relationship with stable housing, it wasn’t the right time for her…
City contractors post sweep notifications for homeless encampments amid heat wave
As Portland experienced deadly, record-breaking heat in early July and hundreds flocked to emergency cooling shelters, the city ordered its private contractors to post over 120 homeless encampments with sweep notifications. Advocates say the city potentially put lives at risk by doing so, as the county medical examiner suspects the near-triple-digit heat killed at least…
Critics call Chevron’s hiring of NW lobbyists a greenwashing campaign
Local lobbyists representing cities impacted by the 2021 heat dome simultaneously work on behalf of Chevron, one of the companies most responsible for human-caused climate change as outlined in a local lawsuit against the company. “Earth to Oregon” is a recurring column by Jeremiah Hayden covering developments in environmental policy and litigation in Oregon. Disclosure…
New study dispels anti-Measure 110 narratives
As it turns out, significant pieces of the narrative around Oregon’s short-lived run decriminalizing drugs do not align with newly available data. While police unions, lobbyists and elected officials decried Measure 110 as a “failed experiment,” data shows little evidence decriminalization was responsible for the perceived ills of society. Researchers at Portland State University published…
Environment
Critics call Chevron’s hiring of NW lobbyists a greenwashing campaign
Local lobbyists representing cities impacted by the 2021 heat dome simultaneously work on behalf of Chevron, one of the companies most responsible for human-caused climate change as outlined in a local lawsuit against the company. “Earth to Oregon” is a recurring column by Jeremiah Hayden covering developments in environmental policy and litigation in Oregon. Disclosure…
Opinion
Feeling the heat: Capitalism and global warming
We are in real trouble. Global carbon dioxide emissions (the main cause of global warming) continue to rise, hitting a new high in 2023. Last year was also the hottest in recorded history, and, year by year, more Americans feel the consequences. Yet, we have seen only modest attempts to bring emissions down. Martin Hart-Landsberg…
Kaia Sand | Hang onto your humanity
When thunder boomed briefly on Sunday, July 21, followed by a smattering of rain, I felt a small bit of relief from the buzzing anxiousness of everything. Kaia Sand is the executive director of Street Roots. This column represents her views. Within the hour, President Joe Biden announced he wasn’t running again, and threw his…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile | Widening his world
“Don’t give up.” Three simple words. Easy to say, yet difficult to live by when life deals a bad hand. To Street Roots vendor Vern Hannigan, a familiar presence outside Trader Joe’s on Northwest Glisan Street and 21st Avenue, they are synonymous with turning his life around after living on the streets for years. “I…
