Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile | Being his own boss
When Michael Whetstone arrived in Portland some four months ago, he noticed a man selling newspapers in North Portland outside a grocery store. Michael needed money at the time, and the steady stream of customers looked lucrative. He introduced himself to the man, who told Michael about Street Roots’ vendor program and showed him how…
Opinion
OPINION | America: A land of inequities
In the morning, my wife and I walk to our favorite coffeehouse. We stop at the coffeehouse right across the street to chat with neighbors, the one we call “the place too close to walk to,” because coffee is our reward for walking. We walk by the tree covered with wishes people write and hang…
Kaia Sand | Portland Street Response is on the right track, 6-month evaluation shows
If you are due for a dose of hope, I recommend you dig into the newly released Portland Street Response six-month evaluation. Yes, Portland Street Response is too small – the city thus far has only invested in a small pilot with a small staff of people in one neighborhood that responds to too limited…
Culture
‘Sorcerer Jackl’ tells a dark chapter in Salzburg’s history
By the end of the story of the sorcerer Jackl, 167 people had died. But nobody ever found Jackl. And yet he, the 20-year-old Jakob Koller, was the reason why the worst pogrom against sorcerers and witches in Salzburg’s entire history ever got underway. In truth, of course, it was no coincidence the wave of…
News
Portland nonprofit helps expunge juvenile records
Thousands of Oregon children are referred to juvenile court every year. Even though many of these charges are dismissed, people may still face the ramifications of that contact with the juvenile justice system for years, their record standing in the way of successfully securing housing and jobs. Portland nonprofit law firm Youth, Rights & Justice…
Thousands of Kaiser workers on the verge of strike
After more than a year of unprecedented challenges for health care workers, Kaiser Permanente employees say the health care giant is refusing to adjust proposed contract details and are considering authorizing a strike. The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) sent out a press release on Sept. 24, detailing a breakdown of negotiations…
Housing
Analysis of 2021 sweeps raises questions about pandemic policies and procedures
Sweeps of homeless encampments in Portland have stayed at a similar weekly average throughout 2021, aside from a few outliers, despite officials saying enforcement was reduced prior to May 24. While the sweeps come on the backdrop of city officials attempting to make sweeps more humane, questions abound as to whether the resources for unhoused…
