Jet Black Coffee Company
This vegan cafe in the Gateway District opened a second location in Concordia on March 20, serving Water Avenue Coffee Company coffee, Tanglewood Beverage's Ginger Spiced Chai, ohQua teas, and other beverages.
Concordia
Pickup, dine-in

If a classic American pale is like a high five, a hazy IPA a fist bump, and a Belgian lambic a peck on both cheeks, barrel-aged beers are the bear hugs of the beer world. Typically, the barrels that age them are former bourbon homes, since those casks can only be used once by distillers—and they make beer taste so damn good. A rich imperial stout matured in a used bourbon cask wraps its arms around you and straddles the line between warmly embracing you and taking your breath away.

Yet even before the pandemic shuttered taprooms, consumer interest in such opulent, corpulent beers showed signs of waning. The devotion spent—in terms of cash, time, and space—to collect multiple bottles that individually cost more than a six-pack and cellaring most in order to, say, one day enjoy a vertical tasting of five vintages of Deschutes’ The Abyss or Pelican’s Mother of All Storms, is equal parts awesome and ridiculous. Many of us who performed such rituals found ourselves with overflowing closets of liquid bear hugs. Famously, San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing ordered an employee to dump some 1,300 oak vessels of high-end beer down the drain in 2019.

Now a number of Pacific Northwest brewers are breathing new life into barrel-aged beers.

The pioneering days of finishing strong beers in used barrels took place in the early '90s, primarily within the domain of Midwestern breweries. Two decades later, most craft breweries had some sort of barrel aging program. Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints racked a strong ale into his first used barrel in 1994, staking the Pacific Northwest's place in the world of dark beer craft. Whether it was foreshadowing or post-shadowing of the past few years' barrel-aged comeuppance, Sprints announced his retirement in 2022. 

However, that retirement didn't include this year's new batch of Don barleywine, which Sprints recently announced he brewed and bottled for an April 2023 release. He also alluded to other, upcoming barrel collaborations—likely with Labyrinth Forge Brewing Company, to whom Sprints has leased the former Hair of the Dog building at 61 SE Yamhill. "They'll give my equipment new life and welcome guests back into the tasting room, in the next few months," he said.

Breakside Brewing's barrel program manager Dan Hynes told the Mercury that, while overall, Breakside is making fewer barrel-aged beers, they're making more varieties. "We’ve increased our options. We have a larger variety of objects in smaller format,” Hynes said. “Only speaking for us, we’ve moved toward our in-house inspiration. We’re looking for unique expressions between a beer, barrel, and time... they express themselves in vastly different ways.”

For instance, one blended barrel-aged stout, dubbed Skweee, folds a combination of 11 casks into a bruiser that tops 12% ABV. Elements include a smoked Baltic porter aged in rye whiskey for five months, a double wheat porter aged ten months in barrels used to make bourbon-aged maple syrup, and a chocolate stout aged in bourbon casks for 14 months. Increasingly, these beers spotlight interesting casks such as Sweet Creature of Bombast: a fudgy imperial stout composed of a whopping 19 various casks, some of which slumbered for over two years. Others look like This Great Stage of Fools, which plays around with culinary ingredients such as pecans, pandan leaves, marshmallow, and allspice.

It's not just Breakside right-sizing barrel libraries. “In 2017, it seemed to be what everybody's doing so we went big." Baerlic Brewing’s co-owner Rik Hall said. "Huge. After we got it all out of barrels, we couldn’t sell as much as we’d bottled.” 

“[We’ve done] wine barrels, gin barrels, a pale coffee beer, cocktail- and culinary-inspired beers," Breakside’s founding brewmaster Ben Edmunds said. "Customers lost interest in those experimental, barrel-aged beers. Dan and I are big-tent brewers, but the market has gone toward a narrowing of barrel-aged stouts and barleywine.”

Hall says Baerlic has gone in a different direction. “We took 20 barrels of imperial stout and split them into four brands," he explained of Grand Cru (straight bourbon-aged stout), Mexican Hot Chocolate (aged with chocolate and spice), Ginger-Coconut, and Coffee-Vanilla-Cacao. "It’s easier to sell four different brands than a lot of one.”

And sell them they do, most successfully at the brewery's annual Woodworker Marketplaces, which celebrate their own wood-aged craft beers as well as other woodsy crafts—it's the company’s biggest sales day of the year.

In Astoria, home of Fort George Brewing’s long running Festival of Dark Arts, wood-aged stouts are holding strong.

"I’d actually say our barrel program is at its peak now,” said Fort George’s head of research and development, Matt Rhodes. The brewery houses well over 200 barrels, according to Rhodes, some 95 percent of which are stouts, including a solid 50 currently aging the festival's star: famed Matroshka Russian Imperial Stout.

While Ferment Brewing Company, in Hood River, doesn’t operate a sizable barrel program, owner Dan Peterson released three barrel-aged beers in 2022 and is on track to do likewise around Thanksgiving. “The rest of the year I don’t think about them at all,” he said. 

Peterson was responsible for the barrels—and foeders which are essentially oversized barrels—at his prior employers like pFriem and Full Sail in Hood River. He says he likes to “keep it simple.” In fact, he’s so lax about it that the Wayward Barrel release of 2021 was named for the stout “we lost track of blending” in 2019 or, y’know, perhaps 2018. It turned out great, and that was Peterson’s teachable moment.

When it comes to brewing, maturing, and blending barrel-aged stouts and other strong ales, there are so many factors that create exponentially more flavor profiles. But as Breakside’s Edmunds notes: “To what degree does education sell? You have to start with deliciousness. You can’t prioritize interesting over delicious. [A Brian Yaeger] may buy them all and try them side-by-side, but the majority of customers want that one experience, and they’re keeping in mind the price-point.”

The only way you could be taken for a fool is if you don't weigh your options among all of the fun, budget-friendly happenings this weekend. This is no prank; all of the events below—from the Trillium Festival to Michelle Zauner and from the  Waterfront Park Cherry Blossoms to the Dragon Boat Eye-Dotting Ceremony—are $15 or under.

Feminist March 2023
Returning from a pandemic-related hiatus, Hollywood Theatre's Feminist March program will once again offer up a full month of screenings celebrating women in film. Presented in partnership with Portland State University's Center for Women's Leadership, Synth Library Portland, and Quest Center, this year's lineup includes 12 films directed by women, including multiple flicks by Black, Indigenous, and queer directors. Tonight's screening of slasher movie musical Slumber Party Massacre II closes out the series.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $10)

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

 Happy Trans Day of Visibility, Portland! In 2009, the head of Transgender Michigan, Rachel Crandall, coined this holiday as a day of celebration for transgender people internationally. Crandall has since explained that the date itself isn't all that significant; it's just a good distance from Trans Day of Remembrance, in November—an import but sobering anniversary that often left her feeling depressed. There are a lot of good ways to celebrate today. If you aren't transgender, consider reading something written by a trans person about their experience—such as one of these six graphic novels by trans cartoonists—or there's always just buying trans folks a snack.

hey babes, Trans Day of Having a Nice Snack is on Friday, and over at @gendereveal, we're gonna be buying snacks and sending mutual aid $$ to trans folks who could really use a lil break!!! (Visibility schmizability lol.)

If you want to pitch in a few bucks, now's a great time💕 pic.twitter.com/H7twFV7Jxj

— Montucky Woodsnacks (@tuckwoodstock) March 29, 2023

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• I don't know if you've noticed... there's a lot of weird stuff happening at the Office of Community & Civic Life lately. Just yesterday, Sophie Peel at Willamette Week reported that the bureau has proposed cutting $500,000 in guaranteed funding from five nonprofits that serve communities of color. The money would instead pad out the pool for small grants that "any neighborhood or community group can request." Kind of curiously sounds like a way to fund SWNI, but I'm just a simple country lawyer.

• KOIN reports that OHA has opened an investigation into the unapproved closure of Legacy's Mount Hood Family Birth Center, in Gresham. While the non-profit hospital system argues that the center was expensive to maintain and had a lower birth volume than other faculties in its system, the state says the Mount Hood Medical Center served more women needing urgent OB care than any other Legacy hospital. To understand more about the issue of hospital and maternity ward deserts, I recommend this episode of the Daily, which looks into the ways some nonprofit hospital systems have engaged in predatory for-profit practices, all while hiding beneath a mask of charity.

• In an attempt to address the notoriously slow implementation around Measure 110 addiction and recovery funding, Rep. Rob Nosse has sponsored a bill in the state Capitol that would make changes the administration processes, moving oversight from a council comprised of people with experience in addiction to the OHA.

Portland Street Response workers have condemned Commissioner Gonzalez's ban on tent distribution, saying the ban has threatened the safety of unhoused Portlanders, further limited PSR’s agency, and disempowered outreach workers. https://t.co/j0mMXagl3j

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 30, 2023

• The musical adaption of John Waters' Hairspray only plays Portland through Sunday. If big, touring shows are your thing and you make it into seats, you're almost guaranteed to leave energized. Even if you don't have time to catch it, there's something for you in our full review.

• This isn't really a whole blog, but I bet a couple of you would like to know that Church of Film is bumping back their ongoing Wednesday night screenings to an earlier showtime of 7 pm.

• Last week, Steve's POP QUIZ PDX got so much internet spice, people were leaving rude comments on our post about the Pickathon 2023 lineup. Truly a great moment in "do you ever just look at yourselves, like really?" Are you ready to get so mad at a quiz—albeit a very funny and sharp quiz—that you needless slander some other unrelated subject? I BET YOU ARE.

• Speaking of spice, it. IS. FRIDAY. Get your credit cards out because we are buying ticket drops: Diana Ross, Ben Schwartz, boygenius with Carly Rae Jepsen in Bend!? Our Everout team has the list.

• It's about to be April. What's going on April? gecs is what—plus, John Waters celebrates his birthday at the Aladdin and the Clinton Street hosts a week of Waters' films in his honor. Read about all that and more in Everout's April round-up:

No fooling—the first full month of spring brings tons of events across genres to Portland, from Muse to Record Store Day and from The One Motorcycle Show to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. https://t.co/wy26unfGWw

— EverOut Portland (@EverOutPortland) March 30, 2023

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• A lot of you had "Trump Indicted" on your 2023 bingo card, but whom among you had Trump indicted for reimbursing his then fixer, Mr. Cohen, the hush money Cohen paid to Stormy Daniels waaaay back during his presidential election... so she would stop talking about an alleged affair they engaged in while Trump's wife Melania was pregnant?

• If you want to read more about Daniels' patriotism, check out this 2018 piece from the Stranger wherein culture reportet Chase Burns describes "a historic, patriotic, vagina-forward, wax-driven erotic dance" she delivered to him, his boyfriend and a bunch of veterans.

• Speaking of the Stranger, the celebration of Trump Indictment Day kicked off yesterday afternoon, and the staff at our sister pub rounded up some funny tweets:

Happy Trump Indictment Day!

Twitter was fun today.

Here are a few of our favorites: https://t.co/ypdiJaA7nR

— The Stranger 🗞 (@TheStranger) March 31, 2023

• Trump's team scrambling at Mar-a-Lago was not the only political storm brewing in Florida yesterday. The Disney-DeSantis feud now somehow involves England's monarchy?

• Today in would that we could all brag thusly, it's been raining in California, so the LA Times put some satellite photos side by side and titled it "Dry to LUSH."

• Now, let us prepare:

@shiadanni Can’t wait to start my day 😃 🌈 #morning ♬ original sound - SHIADANNI

Humans alive today have access to more information and self-education resources than any other generation in the history of the world. You are not required to avail yourself of these advantages and its unreasonable to expect everyone to be an expert on everything. But, if you are going to position yourself in a place of authority on a subject area or of community responsibility, then it's time for you to fucking step up your game. I'm serious, there are plenty of dials, switches, and levers available to us at as needed. The world needs some tuning up, and whatever role and responsibility you select for yourself on the behalf of our community, it completely reasonable for us to expect you to deliver world-class service. This is not to say you aren't allowed to make mistakes or be vulnerable. This is to say, that if you fuck up own it, if there is something you don't know then look it up or ask someone, enough with the fucking bullshit. Stop seeing what it is you can keep getting away with one more time. Stop it. Do some work and figure what it is that only you can deliver to the world. Because we need you to deliver that for us. Only you can do that. If you need help, there is at least one person in this world who's role is to help you. If you need resources, there is at least one in this world who's role it is to resource you. If you need the rules changed, there is at least one person in the world who can help you with that. We are not our histories. We are our futures. Lead on leaders.

Hairspray could have worked in a quiet theater. The songs are that catchy—doo-wop after soul pop with nary a slow ballad. But what really made our particular viewing of the award-winning, nationally-touring musical memorable was the reaction it drew from its audience. 

When Tracey Turnblad (Niki Metcalf) swooped in to kiss her crush Link Larken (Nick Cartazzo), people to our right shouted: "Ooo!" When Larken later betrayed her, a shocked gasp from someone in the back traveled all the way across the room. Though Andrew Levitt AKA Nina West overcame it with true thespian-level projecting, the audience could not refrain from screaming every time his character, Edna Turnblad, graced the stage.

Unfortunately, in what was likely an opening night tech glitch, Levitt was one of the few performers we could consistently understand. Cumulatively, Hairspray's music was louder than its performers' lines for around a quarter of show. That was a shame because the musical adaption of John Waters' 1988 film is deeply funny, with unpredictable, laugh-out-loud moments. Much to our frustration, too many of those punchlines were trampled by the exuberant score.

It's not necessary to see Waters' film Hairspray—which he wrote and directed—to understand the overarching story of a plucky girl named Tracey Turnblad pushing for racial integration in '60s Baltimore. But knowing that her mother, Edna, was originally performed by Waters' muse Harris Milstead AKA the legendary drag queen Divine, might help explain why the role remains so prominent and beloved today. 

Edna traces her own arc alongside her daughter—disheartened to supportive to fabulous—and ends up similarily shining in the spotlight. When Mark Shaiman, Mark O'Donnell, and Thomas Meehan adapted the film into a musical, the role remained one intended for a drag performer, playing up the actor's falsetto to bass vocal range for comedy and power.

Indeed, one of Hairspray's strengths, as a production, is the way it accommodates multiple star roles, subtly inviting the audience to wonder who could be the show's lead if the situation were slightly different.

The flouncy twists of local teen troupe the Nicest Kids in Town are perfectly captivating, but the dances choreographed for their sidelined Black teen counterparts are far more impressive, showcasing the longstanding truth of racial discrimination in casting.

While Tracey is initially rejected from Nicest Kids auditions, she eventually wows the show's host with a series of dance moves cribbed from her Black detention-mate Seaweed J. Stubbs (Charlie Bryant III). Another auditionee, Little Inez (Joy D. McCoy), never manages to Cinderella her way into the spotlight, but Hairspray gives the audience a few peaks into what she can deliver—as if positing: What if this play were told from her perspective? What if we got more Inez?

Adapted in 2002, written in the '80s, and set in the '60s, Hairspray remains a product of its time,  but because John Waters was ahead of his time, many of the show's themes will still resonate with audiences today. 

The production laid a strong groundwork of sparkling dance numbers and resonant themes, then circled back and built on them until the finale songs "I Know Where I've Been" and "You Can't Stop the Beat" carried the energy of everything that came before, and pushed it into the audience. At the close of a nearly three-hour event, the audience left loud and bubbly—the earlier sound problems appropriately overridden by the musical's undeniable and irreverent fun.

Hairspray plays at Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay, through Sun April 2, $34.75 - $109.75, tickets here, recommended for ages 8 and up.

Here come your bands! Modest Mouse is teaming up with Pixies and special guest Cat Power. The supreme queen of R&B Diana Ross is coming out this summer for an outdoor concert at Edgefield. Plus, indie-rock supergroup boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus) will bring girl power and Carly Rae Jepsen to Bend. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

MUSIC

Amos Lee: The My Ideal Tour - A Tribute to Chet Baker Sings Live
Newmark Theatre (Tues Aug 1)

boygenius with Carly Rae Jepsen and Illuminati Hotties
Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend (Sun July 30)
On sale at noon

Diana Ross
Edgefield (Tues June 20)

No fooling—the first full month of spring brings tons of entertainment options across genres to Portland. Below, we've compiled the biggest art and theater shows, concerts, food events, and other great things to do, from Muse to Record Store Day, from The One Motorcycle Show to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, and from Megan Stalter, Patti Harrison, Sarah Sherman: The Live Nude Girls Tour to Portland Pizza Week. You can also browse our April events calendar to see these events at a glance, or check out our spring arts guide for more ideas.

David Spade: Catch Me Inside
Seasoned jokester and SNL vet David Spade, who now co-hosts the podcast Fly on the Wall alongside fellow SNL alumnus Dana Carvey, will bring his snide, self-deprecating style to Portland.
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks (Sat Apr 1)

Bill Maher
If you're reading this, you probably disagree with Bill Maher on a lot of things, but in the words of Stranger writer Dave Segal, "Maybe that’s the key to his success—outrage everybody and you’ll gain substantial mindshare in the attention economy." He'll undoubtedly continue to press buttons at this performance.
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks (Sun Apr 2)

LET'S GO, SMARTY PANTS! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And this week, you'll test your amazing knowledge on such topics as the late, great Darcelle XV, big-time celebrities who are in love with Portland, and my latest obsession... WOLVERINES (both animal and human)! 😍

But before we continue... HOW DID YOU DO ON THE PREVIOUS QUIZ? Not too shabby! I'm particularly grateful that the majority of you agree that the Blazers' "Blaze the Trail Cat" should immediately become MY new mascot (and butler). Blaze, you start Monday!

OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

Create your own user feedback survey

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good morning, Portland! We're set for a cooler and wetter end of the week, just in time for spring break to wind down. Also just in time to read this NEWS.

In local news:

• Majority of Portland Street Response workers have condemned Commissioner Rene Gonzalez’s ban against distributing tents and tarps to unhoused Portlanders. Multiple PSR workers told the Mercury the ban has endangered homeless residents, further restricted PSR’s agency, and is unlikely to actually make a difference in the number of fires at homeless camps—which Gonzalez cited as reason for the ban.

• A man was arrested in downtown Portland Tuesday after allegedly driving a stolen forklift erratically while yelling “I literally stole this” at passersby. And y’all have the audacity to claim downtown is dead, puh-lease.

“I followed you for a few blocks as you carelessly smoked cigarettes while smashing the forklift into the ground, honking incessantly, and running red lights through traffic. It was beautiful.” pic.twitter.com/gxUCrw7e0C

— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) March 30, 2023

• A bill requiring a minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratio may actually have a chance at passing the legislature now that the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems announced it is dropping its opposition to the bill. In return, the Oregon Nurses Association—the union pushing for the staffing ratio bill—will throw support behind several bills the hospital group is championing, including a bill that would exempt hospitals from limiting increases in healthcare costs to 3 percent per year.

• Warning: This next story may give you whiplash. After approving the removal of nearly 250 structurally questionable light poles from parks across Portland and actually removing 116 of them from four parks on the east side, the city has suddenly stopped the project and will now wait until it has replacement light poles ready before continuing. The reversal comes after public backlash to the lighting removal, particularly as city leaders scramble to address public safety concerns and crime—to which public lighting is a known deterrent.

Most gig workers in Seattle will be permanently entitled to paid sick leave and safe time under a first-in-the-nation law signed by Seattle’s mayor. The measure expands pandemic-era protections and strengthens labor rights for app-based workers. https://t.co/wtTOSsQM6h

— The Associated Press (@AP) March 30, 2023

In national and international news:

• More bad press for TikTok: The social media app has failed to consistently label accounts operated by Russian state propaganda agencies as disinformation, per its own policy.  An analysis of the policy shows that it has not been applied to accounts with millions of followers and, even when the label is applied, it has minimal impact on Russia’s ability to exploit TikTok algorithms to shape public opinion about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Major League Baseball will introduce a slew of brand-new regulations in the hopes of speeding up the pace of play, encouraging more game action, and making the sport more compelling to fans. https://t.co/ah8GRtrVr0 pic.twitter.com/XB65mGv82w

— CNN (@CNN) March 30, 2023

• Two Army helicopters crashed into each other during a training exercise in Kentucky Wednesday, killing nine people. The helicopters crashed in a wooded area and there are no reports of additional residential damage.

• The Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sale of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan Wednesday, paving the way to expand access to the life-saving medication. At least one Narcan producer said they aim to have the nasal spray on store shelves by late summer. It’s unclear how much it will cost.

• Spice up your morning by letting all the blood rush to your head! It’s fun!

This is Mila. She wanted to remind everyone that sometimes all you need in life is a new perspective. 12/10 pic.twitter.com/nF8na7FoOB

— WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) March 28, 2023

Eight days before Portland’s most severe snowstorm in 80 years, Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez banned Portland Street Response (PSR) outreach workers from distributing tents and tarps to people living outside. In the wake of the ban, multiple PSR workers—who spoke to the Mercury on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation—say the ban has threatened the safety of unhoused Portlanders, further limited PSR’s agency, and disempowered outreach workers.

“It’s really hard saying ‘I’m sorry, we can’t give tents out anymore,’” a PSR employee said. “The looks on people’s faces—there’s fear, there’s sadness, there’s confusion.”

On February 14, Gonzalez announced a “temporary suspension” of tent and tarp distribution from the city of Portland’s public safety bureaus, including PSR, a program housed within Portland Fire and Rescue that provides non-police emergency response to 911 calls related to mental health crises or regarding unhoused people. Gonzalez, the commissioner in charge of PSR, says the ban aims to reduce the number of fires at homeless camps. According to Portland Fire Marshal Kari Schimel, Portland Fire has responded to 1,015 tent and tarp-related fires over the past two years. By taking away flammable materials like tents and tarps, Gonzalez argues he’s saving homeless Portlanders from being burned in a tent fire. 

“Unsanctioned fires put our first responders, houseless individuals, and our neighborhoods at risk,” Gonzalez said in a press release. “I am taking immediate action to save lives and protect Portlanders from life-shattering injuries.”

The majority of the tents and tarps distributed to homeless Portlanders, however, are supplied by the Joint Office of Homeless Services, not PSR. Over a six-month period in 2022, PSR distributed 473 tents to people living outside, compared to the 22,000 tents and 69,000 tarps the Joint Office purchased and distributed during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic when many indoor shelters were closed or severely limited. In an interview with Willamette Week, Gonzalez acknowledged that banning PSR from distributing tents and tarps may have a “marginal” impact on the frequency of fires at homeless camps.

Earlier this month, unionized PSR employees represented by PROTEC17—a union representing more than 9,000 workers in Oregon and Washington—condemned the ban, calling it inhumane and dangerous. PROTEC17 represents the majority of PSR employees including mental health crisis responders, peer support specialists, and community health workers.

“What Commissioner Gonzalez claims as a temporary ban cruelly went into effect during one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record, with no input from us—the people who do this work,” the statement reads. “This policy has put our clients at risk, increased the stress on our workload, and does nothing to solve Gonzalez’s proclaimed issue of fires at campsites, which he openly admitted."

Gonzalez’s spokesperson Ben DuPree declined to comment on the PSR workers’ statement, but noted that PSR Program Manager Robyn Burek was included in conversations about the ban before it went into effect. Burek told the Mercury she provided Gonzalez’s office information about the role tents and tarps play in PSR’s work, but did not help craft the policy nor did she review the ban before it was publicly announced.

Multiple PSR employees told the Mercury the ban has further limited options for unhoused residents who already struggle to access resources in Portland’s overburdened homelessness services system.

“There are consistently not enough beds for people to stay in,” a PSR employee said. “There are consistently folks who have disabilities and can’t go to those places. When there are one or two [beds available], people don't always meet the [shelter] requirements. So, when there are literally no other options, tents give dignity, they save lives, they give privacy, and it’s humanizing.”

In addition to limiting an option for people living outside, the restriction on tents and tarps also piles on to the existing limitations placed on the program. PSR staff cannot be dispatched to calls where a person is reported to be carrying a weapon, is acting "violent toward others," is obstructing traffic, is reportedly suicidal, or is located inside a private residence. Multiple reports on PSR’s progress conducted by Portland State University researchers have identified the restrictions as a hindrance, with several police officers telling researchers that PSR’s skills could be particularly helpful in those situations. However, the restrictions can only be changed through contract negotiations with the Portland Police Association—the union representing rank-and-file police officers—which have dragged on for months.

“Sometimes it feels like we have so few options,” a PSR employee told the Mercury, “and when an additional one is removed, it increases the challenges of the job.”

PSR’s PROTEC17 union representative Rachel Whiteside believes the ban comes at a time when Portlanders are growing fatigued with visible homelessness and a perceived lack of action from city leaders—the same sentiment that underscored Gonzalez’s successful campaign for City Council.

“There's a lot of compassion fatigue around a lot of issues, and people who are in no way able to defend themselves are the easiest targets and victims of that compassion fatigue,” Whiteside said. “I think [the ban] is reflective of that. When you have a community that is more affluent, it's very easy for them to target those folks and it's very easy for politicians to go where the money is.”

DuPree, Gonzalez’s spokesperson, said the Commissioner has no plans to lift the ban, despite the negative feedback.

“This was a moratorium,” DuPree said, “and while the Commissioner reserves the right to reevaluate, we’re not going to be making any changes at this time.”

When I was in college, I was a desk receptionist at the dorm I was living in. I just wanted the extra cash and to be able to study. I didn't give a shit to be hospitable. This was all coming from my high-school angst and rebellion, listening to the devil's music. I look back on that person now and i see someone who needed guidance. This God-fearing guy I knew came in and started to tell me about church. I wasnt into it then nor am I now, nor am I the same person. I haven't been found. I haven't life figured out. But I do look back and now his message is understood. He was speaking to my soul. He could see that light around me which was more like darkness. I believe it. Energy and vibes alone are contagious, transmitted, and received. Like now with someone I know, everyday their mood is somber, whiny, mopey, always wishing the day was over, the week was over, wishing they were somewhere else doing something else, and never happy being in the moment. I try to be supportive of their grievances but everything gets tiring after a while, hard to listen to, and simply toxic. Its MJs the Man in the Mirror is the only one that can help themselves out from a life of misery and constant conflict. Its Buffetts I know its my fault that we need to look in ourselves for answers, not how the world is around us. I dont know what changed for me but you can witness this "light" or lack of it in everyone. I hope we all find it. I think the key is changing the point of view. And changing the mind.

It might be naïve of me to say that 80% of the readers of this magazine are just renters and not homeowners in Portland. If you are a renter you could live on the east or west side but if you are a homeowner you pay 2 to 3 times the tax rate if you live on the west side. Even if a property is valued at the same amount for sale, the taxes are often 1/3 in the East side of what a similar property would go for on the west side .The supposed rich people on the west side will eventually leave and then what will you do? Signed. Ecstatic to be back in California.

The last week brought with it an absolute onslaught of welcome and unwelcome local music world news, from the pleasant and mundane (Blues Fest and Pickathon announcing their 2023 lineups!) to the depressing (the death of Portland’s legendary drag icon Darcelle XV). Instead of searching for a way out, lean into the momentary gloom with a show featuring the spaghetti western-styled rock of Federale, a mournful single (and impending album) from Portugal. The Man, and the poignant neo-soul of Phony Ppl.

Can’t miss upcoming events. 

If you’re into the dark, doom-infused sound of Spaghetti Westerns or moody '60s and '70s Italian horror cinema scores, you should know about atmosphere-engendering Portland group Federale. Shepherded by bassist Collin Hegna (Brian Jonestown Massacre), the six-piece band writes tracks to stand in a doorway to—while everyone else in the bar freezes and looks your way. It is not yet known how Lollipop Shoppe expects to accommodate an audience of attendees all trying to stand in the venue's doorway to 2022 track “Blood Moon,” but hopefully during the likely live cover of Ray Livingston’s “Mona Lisa,” crowds can at least slow walk and sway under soft focus. (Lollipop Shoppe, 736 SE Grand, Fri April 14, 9 pm, tickets here, $11-13, 21+, w/ Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo)

New release(s) from a Portland-relevant artist. 

At the top of the month, Alaska-to-Portland band Portugal. The Man dropped a new song, “Dummy,” delivering the first official single from their forthcoming full-length, CHRIS BLACK CHANGED MY LIFE, which is due out June 23 via Atlantic Records. (Although they also teased the stunning opening track, “Heavy Games II [feat. Jeff Bhasker],” along with a companion visual.) The album follows their acclaimed 2017 debut Woodstock, and was written in dedication to their late friend and honorary member Chris Black. Produced by Asa Taccone (of the group’s unavoidable radio hit “Feel It Still”), “Dummy” feels like an eerie, end-of-times dance party or the fog of grief after a loved one dies, and you wonder whether you might just keel over and die, too. “Everyone I know / is running from the afterlife / These days they make it sound sweet/ If this is the last dance you can count on me.” The single comes with a funny music video that’s clearly filmed in Alaska and features their new sidekick Tank Dog. This July, the band will play an epic homecoming show at Edgefield. Even better: San Diego soul trio Thee Sacred Souls are opening, so make sure to get out to Troutdale in a timely manner. (Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, July 21, 6:30 pm, $54.50, tickets here, all ages)

Some upcoming music buzz to put on your radar.

In the mood to hear some ultra smooth, highly liberated hip-hop and soul? Brooklyn neo-soul group Phony Ppl's upcoming show at Star Theater is giving folks a very compelling reason to trek out their doors on a weeknight. Touring in support of the 2022 Euphonyus (the group's first full-length since the 2018 hit mō’zā-ik), the five-piece is likely to jam-out album highlights like “love just died.,” the bluesy “been away.,” the experimental pulsing of “don’t knock & common courtesy.,” and the Earth Wind and Fire-reminiscent “to get home.” Here’s hoping they make a little time for “Fkn Around,” even though Megan Thee Stallion won’t be joining. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, Wed May 3, 8:30 pm, tickets here, $22-47, w/ Johnny 2 Phones) 

Okay, sure, fine... maybe there are bigger problems in the world than a meager selection of vibrator colors. And yet? WHY ARE THERE SO FEW VIBRATOR COLORS?? Check out this I, Anonymous submission titled, "Bad Vibes." (Oooh, also! Do you have a rant or confession you need to get off your chest? Send it anonymously to the I, Anonymous blog!)

Every time I venture out to buy a sex toy, I’m greeted with a wall of options that range in color from princess pink to royal purple.

Sure, if I squint I can find a light blue one here or maybe an orange one there, but pinks and purples are by far the dominant colors in the high-quality vibrator rainbow.

 It’s obviously not the biggest deal in the world, but I find the whole situation infantilizing...

Oh, there's more where that came from! Read the entire thing here, and send in your rant or confession (about vibrators... or maybe something else?) to the I, Anonymous Blog!

Every time I venture out to buy a sex toy, I’m greeted with a wall of options that range in color from princess pink to royal purple. Sure, if I squint I can find a light blue one here or maybe an orange one there, but pinks and purples are by far the dominant colors in the high-quality vibrator rainbow. It’s obviously not the biggest deal in the world, but I find the whole situation infantilizing. Instead of perpetuating the idea that people who buy vibrators only want *cute* colors that society associates with girls, try selling us on a wider range of colors. Like bright orange, or sky blue, or lime green, or literally anything. I’m trying to get off, not fuck a Barbie Dreamhouse.

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Expect a mostly dry and warmer day with a high of 58 degrees. Now let's dip into an anything-but-dry bucket of NEWS!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Hate homelessness? Then maybe support this idea: A new bill written by state senators would impose stricter rent control limits in order to protect tenants from being priced out of their homes and into homelessness. Naturally, property owners and landlords think this idea stinks because they see lower rent regulations as (actual quote here) "biting the hands that feed" renters. WOOO-WHEEE, so they're actually doing us this huge favor instead of merely providing half of an exchange of goods? OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! (Our Isabella Garcia reports.)

TriMet is proposing route changes that could improve its most unreliable bus line, while keeping Cleveland High School students away from one of Portland’s most dangerous streets. https://t.co/DdrMGRfvxM

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 28, 2023

• Whoopsee-doodle, turns out that Oregon's former head of the state's department of environmental quality, Richard Whitman, who abruptly resigned last September for alleged "personal reasons" was actually forced out of his role due to engaging in an inappropriate relationship with an employee he directly supervised. (Though he might consider that a "personal reason.")

• OH NO! Sad/bad news for our beloved Damian Lillard (and particularly the Blazers): The team's top player will reportedly be sitting out for the rest of the season (seven games) due to a calf injury. Also possibly out for the rest of the season are Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic, and Jerami Grant, due to various injuries. 😭

• Not only does Idaho hate us, it hates their own women as well.

NEW: Idaho is about to become the first state to restrict interstate travel for abortion care. https://t.co/SMHMGtHYhd

— Alanna Vagianos (@AlannaVagianos) March 28, 2023

• And another one....

Idaho — which has a near-total abortion ban in effect — just declined to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage.

From @KelcieMMorris: https://t.co/tD7FxASSYY

— Alanna Vagianos (@AlannaVagianos) March 29, 2023

• Don't miss this excellent (read: scary) OPB investigation into far right extremists who are successfully worming their way into the Pacific Northwest political parties and elections, such as Rick Riley who now chairs the Clackamas County Republican Committee, and wrote the following on their website: "Down will come the ‘woke’ school boards, down will come CRT (critical race theory), down will come a two-tiered justice system, and down will come our entire election apparatus that was designed to cheat." (Sounds like a very level-headed fan of democracy.)

A lesbian in a 10-year sexless marriage wants to re-spark the connection... but is this a "too little, too late" situation? Find out in this week's edition of SAVAGE LOVE!https://t.co/7QUIvBTcNQ

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 28, 2023

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• More info has been revealed about the shooter who killed three kids and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville. According to the cops, the killer had been under care for an emotional disorder, and yet? Was still able to legally purchase seven guns over the past three years. For those keeping score, this mass murder was the 19th shooting at a school or university... in the last three months.

“Why would I regret a photograph with my family exercising my rights to bear arms?” ⁦@AndyOgles⁩ said. And then he deleted the 2021 photo of his family armed to the teeth from his social media. https://t.co/3UzVwd9YA7

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 29, 2023

• Responding to a national surge of drug overdoses, which are the leading cause of accidental deaths in the country, the FDA has approved the life-saving Narcan—an opioid overdose reversal drug—for over the counter use.

• A Wisconsin elementary school has banned its first grade students from singing a Dolly Parton/Miley Cyrus duet song called "Rainbowland" that promotes LGBTQ acceptance, because "it could be perceived as controversial." Yes, it could... and it could also be perceived that these school officials are homophobic and should lose the privilege of teaching kids.

Elon Musk and some of the biggest names in tech have signed an open letter calling for an immediate pause of developing AI-powered systems more powerful than the latest version of ChatGPT on the grounds of “profound risks to society and humanity.” https://t.co/mcVAqkyvjA

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 29, 2023

• For those who love a good show, Senator Bernie Sanders laid into Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz today over allegations that his company fired and intimidated employees who attempted to form a union demanding better working conditions. (Almost 300 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize since 2021.)

• And finally, now that I've written this? GOOD NIGHT.

Writers after they've written two sentences pic.twitter.com/pQjpuhtFBQ

— Ariel Relaford (@ArielRelaford) March 28, 2023

If Robbin McMain gets another rent increase, she’s worried she’ll become homeless. 

McMain lives in a 55-and-older mobile home park in Brookings, Oregon, where she—like many  other such residents—owns her mobile home while renting the lot it sits on. This year, McMain and her neighbors all received a 14.6 percent rental increase—the maximum allowed under current state law. For seniors who are on fixed incomes, the increase is squeezing their limited budgets and upending their housing stability.

“I love my home. I’m retired, and I don’t want to go anywhere else,” McMain said. “If we want to stop homelessness, we need to stop putting people like me and my neighbors in this impossible predicament.”

Senate Bill 611, sponsored by several Democratic legislators like Senator WInsvey Campos of Aloha and Representative Andrea Valderrama of East Portland, aims to protect renters like McCain from being priced out of their homes.

Oregon’s current rent increase restrictions, established in 2019, cap yearly rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation. At the time, the cap was considered a strong protection for renters that still struck a fair balance for landlords. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a record-high spike in inflation, leading to rent increases being limited to 14.6 percent in Oregon this year. The nearly 15 percent limit only applies to buildings more than 15 years old—newer buildings are subject to unrestricted rental increases. As Oregon faces a housing crisis, with state estimates showing that the region is short over 100,000 housing units, buildings less than fifteen years old can be subject to rent increases upward of 20 and 30 percent as landlords aim to match “market price.”

SB611 would cap year-to-year rent increases to 3 percent plus inflation or 8 percent total, whichever is lower. The bill would also close the rent control exemption from buildings built within the last 15 years to buildings constructed in the last three years, as well as increase the relocation support fee—the amount of money a landlord has to pay a renter for a no-cause eviction—to three months of rent. Landlords with four units or less would be exempt from the relocation fee.

Supporters of the bill say that tenant protections are a critical element of the state’s efforts to reduce homelessness. According to the US Government Accountability Office, a $100 increase in median rent is associated with a 9 percent increase in homelessness. While Oregon is making significant investments in moving unhoused residents off the streets and into transitional housing, that work is considerably less effective if the competitive housing market continues to push people out of housing and exacerbate homelessness.

“Oregon’s housing emergency goes beyond lack of supply and the number of people living without homes or shelter,” Kim McCarty, executive director of the Community Alliance of Tenants, told legislators during a public hearing Monday. “We have a rental emergency as well, with tenants living just one rent increase notice away from displacement and possible homelessness.”

Property owners and landlords have rallied in opposition to the bill, arguing that the bill would make Oregon a less attractive place for property owners to invest, which would in turn limit new development of housing—another key component of addressing the state’s housing crisis. Kennedy Amundson, a property management owner south of Portland, compared SB611’s renter protections to “biting the hand that feeds” renters: landlords.

“If you were pleading to an investor that was considering building rentals in Oregon, how would you draw them in?” Amundson asked legislators during Monday’s public hearing. “What would be the attraction you’d be able to offer to entice them to move forward with said investment? Because from my view, and the view of many, this bill will seal the deal on ensuring there is nothing but a bad reputation for landlords in the rental market in Oregon.”

Notably, new buildings would fall under the three year exemption for rental limits. SB611’s rent cap also only applies to year-to-year increases with the same tenant and does not restrict landlords from raising rents more than 8 percent when putting a rental on the market for new tenants.

Renters, landlords, and state leaders agree that building more housing, especially dedicated affordable housing, is a critical response to the state’s housing crisis. However, renters who are currently in affordable housing note that they need intervention now before they get priced out of the state’s most deeply affordable housing.

James VanCuren, a Portland renter, lives in affordable housing. However, the past couple years have brought significant rent increases, nearly doubling his rent from $550 to $903. According to VanCuren, his rent now consumes his entire social security check, causing his family to forgo medical treatment and cut back on outings to the park with his kids because they can no longer afford the extra gas.

“I’m in affordable housing now and it’s still a problem,” VanCuren said. “It won’t matter if there is more housing if it’s all empty because no one can afford to occupy it. If you want to solve homelessness, this is where it starts.”

SB611 is scheduled for a legislative work session Wednesday, March 29.

[ Read more ]

Sam Geballe (they/them) is this week's Mercury cover artist of the week, and a San Francisco Bay Area trans/genderqueer artist who has been developing a series of self portraits since 2013. The series began as a self-portraiture concept, but developed into something more as the artist underwent gastric bypass surgery and documented their experience. In these incredibly creative and graphically striking photographs, we are welcomed into a very personal journey of an evolving body, charged with emotion and sincerity. In our interview, we talk about body image, memory, gender, trauma, and healing.

MERCURY: This project, Self-Untitled, is such a beautiful confrontation of body shame and a practice in self-acceptance. I’d love to hear about your initial steps in conceiving this work, and how it’s evolved.

GEBALLE: I started this work after I was academically suspended from Art Center College of Design. I was having great trouble with my mental health and, to be frank, I had an even more difficult time fitting in and managing school as a very big person. It was exhausting. Before Art Center, I had dropped out of a number of classes because of my size. I often didn’t fit in desks and was in constant pain from carrying equipment, let alone the weight of my own body.

I had to wait a year before I could reapply to school, and it was important for the photo department to see that I was still trying to better myself outside of that environment. I focused on portraiture, but felt uncomfortable asking people for their time. I decided on self-portraits because I’m always available. I thought it would be easier, but it wasn’t. Self-portraiture was extremely painful at first (it still can be), as I had dissociated from what I looked like, and it forced me to get real about where my life was at the time. 

I remember crying during most of the class where I presented my first nude self-portrait. I photographed what was happening in my life, and a major part of my life was mitigating my symptoms of mental illness and grappling with the consequences of my weight, eating disorder, and trauma.

At some point, I woke up to [the] physical complications I was having because of my weight. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say I was dying in my sleep. I saw a number of doctors who believed it was more dangerous for me not to have gastric bypass. I spent over a year preparing for that surgery, so my work shifted into processing and documenting what waiting was like. I was constantly afraid I was about to die, angry at how truly brutal people were/are to folks who are fat, and despised myself for the food I ate and weight I gained.

People don’t usually just wake up one day and just decide to be brave, what did it take for you to get comfortable sharing such personal images?

I think if I knew where my photos would have ended up, I may have never shown the work. I still have a hard time understanding why anyone cares about my photos. I have never seen it as particularly brave. I guess every time I left my home when I was fat, it did take a certain level of bravery. People—strangers, acquaintances, even friends—were very cruel at times. That was my experience since early childhood.

You’ve talked about how black-and-white portraiture offers a lot of opportunities to craft a more calculated presentation of your body (shadow, focal depth, etc.). How consciously are you balancing the opposing forces of facing your vulnerability, yet exercising control over the presentation?

I’m attracted to polarizing sunlight and shadows, because I find it beautiful and it also offers self-protection. Dealing with harsh light and shadow allows black and white to become a subject unto itself.

In order to keep doing this work, I have had to use black-and-white extremes when I don’t want to see myself. There are days when I know that if my chest is visible, it will be a recipe for tearing my self-esteem down. I have had to learn how to navigate urges to self-harm through self-portraiture. Now, I more quickly recognize when I’m being unkind. Sometimes I stop and sometimes I choose to do damage. 

For example, I will make the decision to blow out the highlights that give definition to my stomach, because I’m not feeling great about my excess skin. I might be body checking. Body checking can fuel my eating disorder, and it gives a false sense of security in visualizing if I’m “good enough” for the day. Most of the time, my perception is inaccurate, and a moving target.

The idea of self harm through self portraiture is intense. Are there images that are too painful to show?

Yes, being trans has added a layer of difficulty when interacting with older work. It is easier for me to see pictures of myself big and appearing AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth), because I have depersonalized the images as self-portraits. I don’t automatically register them as myself. Post-surgery, late 2015 on, is harder for me to separate from. The nudes can be uncomfortable and stir up gender dysphoria. I am particularly dysphoric about my chest, and there are several images where that was the subject. They become too painful to show. It also took time for me to realize that I did not need to show them, and I have agency to make that choice. My mental health is more important.

In your artist talk with Brittney Cathey-Adams at Blue Sky Gallery, you mentioned that you’ve always had some degree of body dysmorphia. Is it getting easier to shoot and edit now that you’re in a smaller body?

No, and it may be even harder. I treated myself very poorly when I was big because I hated my body and existing within it. I still don’t like my body, to a lesser degree than before, but now I have an overwhelming fear of regaining weight and going back. That fear has been a source of over-control and it extends into self portraiture. Photography can be a liar and my eyes usually are too. 

You manage to make a digital medium look wonderfully analog. Can you talk about your gear and/or reveal any of your processing techniques?

My favorite camera has been the Sony A99II, which was discontinued. For settings, I turn the ISO up, way up. Bring on the noise. Digital black and white can make noise look like grain. Digital color doesn’t usually afford that luxury. Typically, even in broad daylight, I shoot at ISO 1200-6400. I also shoot wide open. Unless I’m having trouble with focusing, my aperture sits between f1.4–f2.8. I almost always have a tripod, and I use a wireless shutter release. Adobe Lightroom is my post-processing software of choice, but I try to get most things done in-camera. 

What’s next for 2023?

Last year, I spent many months putting my first book together. I made it in a workshop held by Nord Photography Workshops that was facilitated by Elizabeth Avedon. Her knowledge is vast and she is attentive to detail. I initially took the class thinking I’d practice making a book. I pushed myself to learn InDesign, and I can’t believe I made something that I truly love. 

I’m in the process of handwriting my story. I find that when I write by hand, I am much more honest. I also intend on making a longer film that includes scoring the music, editing, and sequencing, but I need to build up my filmmaking skills in order to make it happen. I do have ideas for other projects within Self-Untitled, and I’m interested enough to find a path toward having them realized. Something I found out after surgery is that I love learning, and I am an incredibly curious person.

Closing thoughts/advice for anyone struggling with body image?

My advice to anyone struggling is that there is support out there. You don’t need to do it alone. Support groups of people who have similarly struggled have been crucial in working towards my own healing. Being heard and acknowledged is unparalleled. There is something special that happens in a room (whether virtual or in-person) where others nod their heads with compassion and understanding, but also call me out (gently and with care/kitten gloves) when they see it.

Thank you for asking me to speak. I appreciate it and your willingness to listen.

Sam Geballe’s solo exhibition Self-Untitled is at Blue Sky Gallery in Portland through April 1. Find more of Sam’s work at samgeballe.com and follow @selfuntitledsam.