🌱 Community Crime + Healthcare Debt Pilot Program

It’s Saturday, friends! It’s time to kick back and enjoy all that Portland has to offer. And that’s a lot. Before getting to the heart of the matter, let me tell you about today.

First, today’s weather forecast:

A cloudy day with a high of 48. There will be rain tonight.

Here are today’s top stories in Portland:

1. Portland Police arrested a man this week accused of threatening people by pointing what appeared to be a gun through his apartment window at Burnside Street West more than one time. The office said officers were able to tackle the case due to a new pilot program aimed at solving community crimes more efficiently. The pilot program combines a detective with police officers neighborhood intervention team. (KGW)
2. A federal grand jury has indicted the former president and events director of the Portland Marathon for defrauding the non-profit organization that plans and runs the race out of over $1 million. Lester “Les” Smith, 80, was charged with wire fraud and tax evasion. The indictment comes four years after an agreement with the Oregon Department of Justice on alleged conflicts of interest and predatory lending. (KGW)
3. The high cost of health care continues to be a heavy burden for many local families. Research from 2019 shows that at least 60% of Chapters 7 and 13 bankruptcy filings in Oregon involved medical debt. And that’s why a national movement called RIP medical debt emphasizes the state of the beaver. (KOIN)
4. Thursday afternoon, Portland City Council will hear testimony on a draft employment contract between the city and the Portland Police Association (APP), the union representing base officers in Portland. The draft contract itself contains several victories for the City, including a clear discipline guide for officers who make a mistake, an agreement to work cooperatively with the Portland Street Intervention Programand the limits to which the type of retired officers can be rehired to help fill staffing gaps within the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). But, as with any employment contract negotiation, a win for one party means the other party has gained something in return. (Portland Mercury)
5. During black history month, Portuguese can discover a new exhibition that looks at the issue of white supremacy in the United States. Don’t Shoot Portland and the University of Oregon Center for Art Research opened “Feeling Documents: A Liberated Archives Experience” on Thursday. The facility is part of “Habits of Denial” series and includes images of rulers who Don’t Shoot Portland said they helped promote white supremacy in the United States. They also have documents and articles about the KKK. (KPTV)

Today in Portland:

• Adlai Alexander and Dan Faehnle will perform at Corkscrew Wine Bar in southeast Portland. Dan Faehnle play the guitar for pink martini and Diana Krall. JazzTimes said: “Fahnle is quite simply one of the best guitarists working today.” Tonight he teams up with vocalist/guitarist Adlai Alexander for a spontaneous and interactive evening of bossa nova, jazz and pop favourites! DON’T MISS! 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• To rejoin Squire of Isaiah and Shadow Kimber as they celebrate black culture through dance, drag and connection to CC’S Slaughters Nightclub in downtown Portland. This All-Black Cast Will Take You On A Ride Celebrating All That’s Amazing BLACK culture, followed by an evening of dancing and performances by local artists. Tickets available online. Doors open at 8:00 p.m.
• Come to RLLRBLL tape release with Lord Master at Turn Turn Turn in NE Portland. Shows start and end early at this favorite restaurant! So get there at 8 a.m. and soak up all the magic! The fun starts at 8:00 p.m.
• Relighta variety show, will be presented at The Back Door Theater in Southeast Portland. This is a fundraiser to support Fuse Theater Set, The OUTwright Theater Festival and BlaQ Out. Get ready for a romantic evening of live piano, drag, theater, stand-up and more! Tickets available online. 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Relax with a glass of wine and a performance by an accomplished jazz drummer Brent Follis and his trio at Vino Veritas in SE Portland. Raised on a farm Southern Illinoisthe first thing Brent Follis remember is to grab a pair of wooden spoons and bang some beats on old popcorn boxes. Since then, his journey in music has taken him across the country and around the world, in search of inspiration and culture. 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: “4 going straight into the break 🎥” (Instagram)
• Portland Museum of Art: “GIVEAWAY TICKET!” 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ To launch @portlandartmuseum’s next exhibition “Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism”, we’re teaming up with @oregonsymphony to offer a special giveaway. One lucky winner will receive…” (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: “Do you like your bird feeders to make birdwatching easier? Our Nature Shop staff share the types of food each species group prefers to help you attract everyone from woodpeckers to warbler finches. ➡️ Click the link in our bio to…” (Instagram)
• Portland Farmers Market: “Celebrate Cabbage Day while preparing a batch of sauerkraut! If you’ve never done this before, it’s pretty easy to do! So delicious and offers health benefits and nutrition far beyond fresh cabbage. Discover this sauerkraut recipe by Fermente…” (Facebook)
• Last year, Rice took a small step towards normality by exploiting its traditional green beer for limited crowds on St. Patrick’s Day. Now the bar and grill says it’s officially reopening downtown Portland with a return to its tradition the 17th of March festivities. Today the the oldest irish pub in town announced that the street party you might remember before the pandemic will be back in full force. (Willamette Week)
• This hip-hop song is the result of a joint effort between TriMet, Sabin and Dynamix promote safety around TriMet Streetcarproduced in 2004 for the opening of the yellow line. (Youtube)

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Is it a Saturday or what? Oh, I just looked at the calendar. It’s a Saturday. Sorry to ask. Have a great weekend my friends and meet me here next week for another Portland Patch.

— Dominique Anaïa

About Me: Physician, educator, and now writer/artist, just chilling out in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, chickens, and goats.