🌱 New Ballot Initiatives + Earthquakes + The Dark Web

Dominic Anaya
Updated ·6 min read

Hey Portland: As you may know, Amazon Web Services experienced an outage on Tuesday that affected the Portland Daily. Some of you might have received a late newsletter on Wednesday, or no newsletter at all. Please know this was unfortunately beyond our control, but know that we are fully back in business! — Dominic

Happy Thursday, Portland! It's a great day to be alive! But what am I saying? It's always a great day to be alive. What's the alternative? Let me tell you about what's going on in Portland today.

First, today's weather:

It's a grey, rainy day with a high of 43. A perfect day for cocoa.

Here are the top stories today in Portland:

  1. A report by the Portland City Auditor's office points out the city's deficiencies when it comes to supporting those with disabilities. The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management “does not have the information, expertise, or capacity needed to anticipate and plan for the emergency needs of people with disabilities,” a release from the City Auditor’s office said. (KOIN.com)

  2. When Oregon voters receive their ballots next year, they'll find some new campaign finance reform initiatives to decide on. Honest Elections Oregon says its initiatives will help reduce the “perception and reality of corruption” in campaigns, increase transparency and elevate more voices in elections. The initiatives, as filed by Honest Elections, include things like limiting individual contributions to candidates running for statewide office to $2,000 per election cycle, limiting contributions from multicandidate committees to $2,000 per election cycle and limiting political party contributions to $50,000 per election cycle. (KATU)

  3. Did you feel the earth move on Tuesday morning? More than 50 small-to-moderate earthquakes have struck far off the Oregon coast since then. The quakes hit roughly 200 to 250 miles off the coast of Newport. Fourteen of the earthquakes have been magnitude 5.0 or higher. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network tweeted that this area — the Blanco Fracture Zone — is one of the most seismically active near North America, and the high activity is not a cause for concern. (KGW)

  4. The federal government has awarded the Portland Police Bureau a $400,000 grant to anonymously surf the dark web and make undercover purchases so it can investigate and prosecute intellectual property crimes like economic espionage and large-scale counterfeiting and piracy — specifically those that relate to public health and safety. The grant shows that federal officials are still working closely with Portland-area law enforcement and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office after relationships frayed in 2020 in the wake of racial justice protests. (Willamette Week)

  5. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has just announced that it will begin construction on nine projects in 2022 that have emerged from its Central City in Motion and Rose Lane Project plans. One project announced as part of this construction plan is the highly-anticipated Southwest 4th Avenue Improvement Project. (Bike Portland)

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Today in Portland:

  • Have you ever wondered about LGBTQIA+ presence in the animal kingdom? Join Portland Audubon to learn about the birds that exist outside of heteronormative human ideas and family structures. We’ll begin by examining how western social expectations impact ornithology, academic science, and LGBTQIA+ birders. Taught by queer birder and naturalist Kate Kohut, this class is a safe space where all are welcome. Tickets for this virtual class are available online. 6:00 - 7:00 PM.

  • When's the last time you got dressed up for a fancy cocktail party? Well, get your glad rags on, because Renée's Exclusive Styling Space housed at TAH in downtown Portland invites you to its Cocktail Hour. Shop Renée's curated pull of pieces from designers, brands, & shops for the holiday while sipping on a martini or a glass of wine. There'll be music, good vibes, and all the right kind of company to get you inspired. Register online. 5:00 - 8:00 PM.

  • Musician Peter LeClair will be playing at Steeplejack Beer in NE Portland. Peter has spent the last 25 years trying on many different hats in the music world. Whether performing, recording, writing or producing, there is a thread that unifies all of his endeavors. 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

  • Come to Chill N' Fill in North Portland for a screening of the questionable Christmas classic movie Die Hard. Bruce Willis is John McClane, a New York City detective who faces off against German radical Hans Gruber, while saying "Yippee-ki-yay" more times than you can count. 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

  • Trip out to the sounds of Bodhi Mojo at the Goodfoot in SE Portland. Bodhi Mojo is a psychedelic, four-piece jam band rooted in the good feels. Characterized by mind-bending jams and heartfelt songwriting, they never play the same show twice. Also performing will be Jay Si Proof. Doors open at 8:00 PM.

From my notebook:

  • Portland Trail Blazers: "Upon further examination, a CT scan revealed that CJ McCollum has a pneumothorax (right lung). He will be further evaluated before a prognosis is determined and his status will be updated accordingly. He did not travel with the team to..." (Instagram)

  • What's up with all these light shows? It must be a holiday or something! The Clackamas County Winter air has a walk-thru experience of the sights and sounds of Christmas, including a visit from Santa. Kohr Harlan is at the fairgrounds with a sneak peak at the lighted festival. (KOIN)

  • Andrea Damewood of the Willamette Week just binge watched the Sopranos and it made her so hungry that she went on a mission to find the most traditional, most authentic, most East Coast Italian places she could. This is the results of her search. Next time you're craving Italian, check out one of these fine Portland establishments. (Willamette Week)

  • You know it's Christmas in Portland when Hipster Santa is back in town. The Portland tradition was put on hold during the pandemic, but is returning to Pioneer Place Mall in downtown Portland. You can get your picture taken with this skinny jeans-and-cardigan wearing cool North Pole tattooed dude starting Thursday. (KOIN)

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There's your Thursday in a nutshell. May you all be feeling the holiday spirit. And if you are feeling it, make sure to spread the love around. Your fellow Portlanders could sure use it. I'm going to peace out, but join me here tomorrow and we'll talk more about Portland. If you're liking these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Dominic Anaya

About me: Doctor, educator and now a writer/artist, I'm just chillin' in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, our chickens and our goats.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? You can reach me at portland@patch.com.

This article originally appeared on the Portland Patch