So ODOT announced its installing a bunch of new traffic cameras. Meanwhile so many of the people driving like idiots have no plates or visible registration and cops don’t enforce it. What a joke.

In September of 2020, forest fires raged throughout Oregon, claiming lives, destroying homes, and causing nearly a week of the worst air quality ever recorded in Multnomah County. Coupled with a worldwide pandemic, it was a difficult time to be creative. However in the case of cartoonist Breena Bard—whose previous work Trespassers won the 2022 Oregon Book Award—the circumstances set her on the task of writing her new graphic novel, Wildfire.

Typically squeezing in a few hours before her son began online kindergarten, Bard penned a story about a middle-schooler named Julianna, whose family must quickly pack essentials and evacuate their rural Oregon home, as a massive fire looms. Viewed through the eyes of Julianna and her younger sister, Stella, the scene unfolds with emotion. Even for the author. 

“Any time I was writing, or rewriting, or illustrating,” Bard told the Mercury, “every time I went through that scene, it brought those feelings back and made me feel really sad for those characters, even though they’re invented.” 

It still hits close to home for Bard. Although there were no official evacuation orders during Clackamas County fire in September 2020, Bard and her family were concerned enough to begin preparations to leave their home.

“I relate to Julianna in the sense that she had a safe and comfortable life, and then everything suddenly changed,” Bard said. “It was my wakeup call that this wasn’t a theoretical issue that affected other people, it was all of a sudden effecting our life in a real way.”

Things end tragically for Julianna and her family. After losing their home, most of their possessions, and even some of their livestock to the fire, the family relocates to Portland, where the members each deal with the trauma in their own ways. The sisters' well-intentioned parents put on a strong face for their children, and later join climate-change protests. Julianna, who knows the fire was started by careless boys shooting off fireworks, reluctantly joins a conservation club. 

From there, Wildfire focuses on the broader picture: How climate change impacts our lives, and what we can do—and especially what young people can do—to help stave off its effects.

“That was always a pretty important message I wanted to explore,” explained Bard. “Some of the ‘classic’ forms of activism—protests and being very loud and vocal, the things that are elevated as activism—can be really uncomfortable, especially for someone like [Julianna], who’s still processing her loss and her trauma. But that shouldn’t take you out of the fight.”

The book examines the overall human impact on the environment and, through Julianna and her new friends, shows practical ways kids can participate, whether by writing letters, volunteering, or planting trees. Wildfire also deftly looks at the destruction from the standpoint of the person directly responsible for the catastrophe, bringing to mind the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, which burned 50,000 acres east of Portland.

Writing for middle-schoolers is a natural choice for the author. For Bard, it was the age she became immersed in books and set her on her path. And, as with Julianna, it’s a crucial time when kids are forming their understanding of the world, and beginning to find their place in it. 

Bard has already started work on her next graphic novel, which will touch on the topic of literacy by way of an old-fashioned ghost story. In the meantime, Wildfire is receiving attention for its easily digestible take on a topic that can feel daunting, and sometimes even hopeless.

“I hope the book gives kids language to talk about some of these issues,” Bard said. “And also empowers kids to know that, not only are they valued in the conversation, they’re absolutely critical.”

Breena Bard appears in conversation local cartoonist Jonathan Hill at Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, Sat Sept 30, 3 pm, FREE, all ages

[ Read more ]

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! Fall did not miss a beat. The first day of the season ushered in rain and gray skies over the weekend, and three days later, it’s still all wet outside. The weather gods say they’re prepared to shower us until at least Thursday. 

In Local News:

• Police say a serial arsonist was found dead Sunday afternoon, Sept. 24. According to police, Portland Fire & Rescue alerted them of a man they suspected of starting 14 fires around Portland last week. The same person was arrested in Gresham two days earlier for starting three fires there. Police responded to a death call and realized the name matched the suspect named by PF&R. Authorities believe the suspect, 35-year-old Fredy Javier Pareves-Kancab, died by suicide.

• Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez is calling on the city and county to declare a public health emergency, citing a 911 call last Friday involving a toddler who had ingested foil with opioid residue. First responders gave the child Narcan and it survived. According to Gonzalez, who cited the 911 call log, police were called after firefighter/EMTs spotted drug paraphernalia in the parents' car. Gonzalez is largely responsible for a recent City Council vote to ban public drug use, pending changes in state law. He says an emergency declaration would "allow for the possibility of more serious interventions for drug related behavioral health [crises] ..."  

  Portland Fire responded to a 15-month-old overdosing and choking on tinfoil last Friday on Hawthorne. @PDXFire saved the child but this is a horrific reminder of how the drug crisis is destroying our community. We need State Legislature to address hard drug use. It is also time… pic.twitter.com/IPhE4w6U02

  — Commissioner Rene Gonzalez (@CommissionerRG) September 25, 2023

• We know how much you love when we come up with ways for you to eat cheap, so buckle up, because Wing Week is coming! The fun starts next Monday, Oct. 2.

Hear ye, hear ye! 🔔Get ready for the always delicious Mercury WING WEEK—scrumptious plates of creative wings from more than 60 local restaurants... and only $8 per plate! Diving into your stomach Oct 2-8! 😋https://t.co/x5K13BRcMr

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) September 22, 2023

In National/World News:

• Is bubble water bad for you? Asking for a friend. According to recent reporting, seltzer water is just as hydrating as still water, but could be making you gassy and screwing up your teeth. Ughhhhhh.
• Some of the thousands of Maui residents who lost their homes in devastating wildfires last month returned to where their homes once stood in Lahaina. The area has been off limits to all but authorized crews for the past seven weeks. Media on scene were confined to a designated area to give residents privacy and space to grieve, the Associated Press reports, noting many people were hoping to collect mementos or keepsake items among the ash.
• In case you haven’t heard, the United States is facing a government shutdown this Saturday if Republicans and Democrats in Congress can’t agree on a spending plan. Some of the major issues fueling the potential shutdown include disagreements over extending more aid to Ukraine, (someone’s gotta pay for all Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s t-shirts!) and bolstering disaster relief funding—both priorities for Democrats. It’s a political game played at the expense of Americans, many of whom would have their lives disrupted by a shutdown. While Social Security checks would still go out, many federal employees won’t get paid on time.

The federal government is heading toward a shutdown that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. pic.twitter.com/iC3cDoSR5H

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 26, 2023

• Speaking of the war in Ukraine, military leaders there claim to have killed a top Russian Black Sea navy commander last weekend, in Crimea, in an ongoing war over Russia’s prior annexation of Crimea nearly a decade ago, which violated international laws.

The news can be distressing, but don't forget to be kind to each other.

this dog joins this chicken to comfort her eggs pic.twitter.com/uz6QaJbDCQ

— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) September 18, 2023

Some kind of line is crossed when we go an entire summer in Portland with the air quality (according to Accuweather) in the fair to poor range, with a descent into unhealthful when the forest fire smoke blows our way. Now we're getting some rain to wash the nitrogen dioxide and particulates out of the air (these permanently damage your lungs and damage your intelligence because the particulates get in your bloodstream and cross the blood/brain barrier), and what do the good citizens of Portland do to celebrate? Burn wood in their fireplaces, the exact result of which is the same as smoke from forest fires. Congratulations on damaging your children and hastening our extinction as a species. Enjoy your cozy fires—which by the way, are ruining your indoor air, not just imposing noxious toxicity on your neighbors.

[The Mercury published this article in June; due to reader interest we're running it again in connection with the third version of this event. -eds.]

In May 2023, national suicide prevention and LGBTQ+ advocacy group the Trevor Project released a study of mental health among LGBTQ+ youth. The picture it painted was bleak.

Among the findings, 41 percent of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the past year, over half reported being unable to get the mental health care they wanted, and less than 40 percent said they found their home to be affirming of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

For youth in the foster care system—where LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented nearly threefold compared with the general population—things are even worse, with three times the risk of suicide, and nearly four times the risk of getting kicked out or abandoned due to their identity.

With such data in mind, Oregon- and Portland-focused advocacy organizations Basic Rights Oregon (BRO) and Unicorn Solutions have partnered with Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to hold a virtual event for families interested in fostering LGBTQ+ youth.

The simply named Resource (Foster) Parent Recruitment event is aimed at finding more "loving, affirming, and culturally competent" homes where queer youths can thrive. But BRO Communications Manager Blair Stenvick (who is also, full disclosure, a former Mercury editor) says it's first and foremost informational, with no pressure or obligation to sign up.

“Foster parenting is something that a lot of people think about, and a lot of queer people think about,” Stenvick told the Mercury, “but it’s hard to take that leap from thinking about it to signing up for trainings… We want as many folks as possible to attend and learn more, even if they’re not ready in that moment.”

Stenvick is a foster parent and described taking on the responsibility as "one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it’s also the best thing I’ve ever done."

A term like resource parent will be new vocabulary to some. It's often used as an umbrella term for both foster and adoptive parents, but can also describe someone with training for both possibilities—the emphasis being on what the foster youth needs. And it's an example of something you might not know that you could find out at the meeting.

Formerly held in-person at the Q Center in pre-pandemic times, the info session was rebooted in a Zoom environment last October, drawing roughly 50 attendees. Tuesday, September 26, will be its third virtual iteration.

“It’s the best option because that way we can reach out to folks statewide all at once,” Stenvick said. “That’s really important, because there’s an even higher need for foster parents in general—especially affirming foster parents—in more remote areas of the state.”

Tuesday's event will include a panel of speakers, LGBTQ+ youth currently or formerly in the foster care system, and affirming foster parents themselves. Among those speaking is founder of Unicorn Solutions Elliott Hinkle, who is also involved with facilitating the planning and other administrative details of the event. At the age of 15, Hinkle, who is trans, found themself in the foster care system of Wyoming.

“In many ways, it sort of saved my life,” Hinkle told the Mercury. “But I also don't feel like I went into care and got to be myself entirely… A lot of young people end up in care having to decide, ‘Do I get to be myself, or do I get to have a family?’”

After aging out of the program—and being pressured into conversion therapy by a Wyoming church in the process—Hinkle made their way to the Pacific Northwest, where they studied gender and sexuality at Portland State (“Eff you” to the people back in Wyoming, Hinkle said, in an aside) and spent the following eight years as an advocate and consultant. In 2021, they founded Unicorn Solutions, where they work to support LBGTQ+ youth affected by foster care and mental health systems.

With growing numbers of LGBTQ+ youth out in this day and age, they noted the need for affirming foster care is more important now than ever. “You have the opportunity to change someone’s life,” they said. “And it might actually change yours, too."

Basic Rights Oregon's Resource (Foster) Parent Recruitment Event will take place remotely Tues, Sept 26, 6 pm. It's free, but attendees should sign up in advance.

It's the top of another week, and we daresay you already know what that means: we're here to shout out the top events happening every day, from Thundercat: In Yo Girl’s City Tour to Nicole Byer and from HAIR to The Wedge.

CHAI
Much like their namesake, Japanese four-piece pop band CHAI is a sweet, slightly spicy delight. With songs like "Maybe Chocolate Chips" and "Donuts Mind If I Do," their lyrics are cheeky yet poignant, with an overall goal to "deconstruct the standards of beauty and cuteness that can be so oppressive in Japan." Their live shows are known to include lively choreography and extravagant matching outfits. With an opening set from Utah-based weirdo-pop star 26fix, you won't want to miss this one. AUDREY VANN
(Doug Fir Lounge, Buckman)

Hello, sweet Trash Pandas, and welcome to The Trash Report! I'm Elinor Jones, currently set to Cozy AF, where I intend to stay for the next six months. Not only was this the first official weekend of fall, but it also felt very fall-ish; I bought sweaters and baked cookies. Fall girlies can get a lot of shit, but I am far too pleasant a temperature to be bothered. Now let's have some literal tea (tea) while reading the metaphorical tea (gossip)!

You know what makes me angry? I'm mad that the United States spends more on their military than any other country in the world. The Pentagon gets so much money that human brains literally couldn't comprehend it, so they had to use some of their billions of dollars to build an artificial intelligence system whose job it is to watch money get spent. And then they lose a $130 million jet. And then they have the nerve—the cajones, the chutzpah, the incredible audacity—to ask the public for help finding it? The very public that is probably overdue for a basic dental cleaning and other preventative healthcare, because the government that is supposed to serve us blew its allowance at the war machine store and THEN they ditched one of the jets we paid for to cruise over neighborhoods without a pilot and to crash wherever, just hopefully not on a pregnant person because that fetus is the only life anyone seems to give a shit about? That public? Us? You, the Pentagon, want help from us, who already pays you, for free? Lol. No. Find your own fucking jet.

They did find it, btw. Official cause of the crash is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

In other news about jerks with too much money, evil 92-year-old billionaire Rupert Murdoch last week announced he was stepping down from his leadership role at Fox and News Corp. I learned while researching this blurb that Murdoch's first name is actually Keith, and isn't that so much gentler sounding than Rupert? You can't be mad at a Keith Murdoch. That he elected to go by Rupert really tells us all we need to know about the direction his soul was taking him. (Apologies to fellow Ruperts, Everett and Grint, who are angels.) 

The writers' Unions (which would pave the way for actors' unions) were talking again over the weekend, giving some of us hope that a deal may be reached and some of our precious celebrities can return to the red carpets and promotional interviews that sustain the more vapid among us (hi!), and great news: they reached a tentative agreement! Just in time, too, as we are entering Elite Film Season, which we have to power through so we can have strong opinions during the following (best) season: Awards. Now is festival time, when many of those movies will premiere. Apparently top Chris Pine released his directorial debut Poolman at TIFF, and it doesn't sound great, BUT he was papped doing yoga on a boat in short shorts in Italy and those photos are worth more than a hundred Oscars. (Do yourself the solid of clicking through on that link, okay?)

In other Union news, 75,000 Kaiser healthcare workers are likely to go on strike next week. Good thing you couldn't get an appointment to see a provider anyway!

CNN writing about my ass again pic.twitter.com/btcGHOAF7k

— Christine Nangle (@nanglish) September 23, 2023

Millie Bobby Brown said that her future father-in-law Jon Bon Jovi will not perform at her upcoming wedding. What the hell?! That is not fair at all! The disappointment! Her fiance whispering into her ear "don't worry, I'll make sure my dad stays off the mic" and Millie nods and blinks away tears and says "thanks babe" as she carefully moves her purse to cover up the set list recommendations she'd been painstakingly curating throughout the two years of their relationship. What the hell is the point of becoming a Mrs. Jovi if not to have a lit metal wedding reception? I'm sharing this story in case any of my readers find themselves in a serious relationship with one of Mariah Carey's kids: figure out from the beginning their stance on having Mariah perform at the wedding. If it's a no, you gotta go.

And because she is always news, I gotta say that Taylor Swift is rumored to be dating a NFL guy Travis Kelce. This is when I will take a break from caring about her love life. Let me know when she's smoking weed with dirtbags again or celebrating her friends getting divorced. I like her when she's messy.

The next season of The Great British Bake-Off is coming out soon, and the show will be returning to its classic formula of cooking things that normal people eat. This is a carbohydrate-rich relief to my heart, which still carries the scars of last season's travesty of a Mexican week. The GBBO news comes hot on the tails of my mom telling me that every episode of Chopped is on Max now. There are 55 seasons of that show. I am going to get so good at judging chefs for their mistakes this winter (don't underproof your bread, and don't you fucking dare attempt to make risotto in 30 minutes!) 

Unrelated, but I had to put it somewhere: a small dog escaped its kennel and was lost at the Atlanta airport for three weeks. Thankfully, Maia the pooch was found unharmed. I didn't love Tom Hanks's The Terminal but I would live for this sequel. Call it The Terminal 2: Electric Woofaloo. Or something else. Help me workshop this.

It's another love note from Mercury editor Wm. Steven Humphrey about our bangin' new Fall Arts Guide, and how you can help us put out even more bangin' print issues in the future! 😍https://t.co/thHep6QwgG

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) September 24, 2023

Outside Magazine just released a list of the happiest places to live in the United States, and I was proud to see that my hometown of Hood River made the list. I guess the residue of my teenage angst has finally worn off. Because it wasn't happy in the late '90s, I can guarantee you that!

That's all for now, lovers. I know it's rainy out there, so please remember that nobody cares if you use an umbrella or not; don't get wet to prove a point. 

Cozily,

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! Reminder that in one short week, the gustatory joy of the Mercury's WING WEEK kicks off on October 2 with more that 60 (!) restaurants making creative, one-of-a-kind, and deeeee-licious wings... and for only $8 a plate! And as an appetizer, may I present this free plate of NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• ICYMI, former Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty has settled her lawsuit against Portland's police union after then-president Officers Brian Hunzeker and emergency dispatchers spread lies about her being at fault in a hit-and-run accident to the Oregonian (who quickly and thoughtlessly published their lie). While Hardesty says she's happy to put the horrible incident in the rear-view, THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS. For example, why did the driver of the hit vehicle suddenly change her description of the fleeing car to match Hardesty's car after talking to the police? YUP, THAT IS SKETCHY AF. Find out this and more in our Courtney Vaughn's story.

• Speaking of cops, don't miss our Suzette Smith's smarty-pants review of the Red Door Project's Evolve Experience which pairs true stories from the police (and the folks they police) in an attempt to promote listening and understanding.

The Red Door Project’s hot button show about police and the public is not trying to entertain. That doesn't mean it's not engrossing.https://t.co/9IaM6Swh7e

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) September 23, 2023

• The man who ran over and killed beloved Portland activist Sean Kealiher in 2019 has been sentenced to 17 years in prison. The murderer had nothing to say in the way of apology, remorse, or why he did it. (But we do know how he got away with it for so long... the cops dragged their feet.)

• Well, this tweet is very telling... looks like Commissioner Rene Gonzalez prefers his government hard and erect.

No @tedwheeler, @CommissionerRG was elected on same night charter reform passed with a clear mandate to work to protect & restore Portland.
What was fired on that night was flaccid & ineffective governance.
Time to lead, not to cower. https://t.co/wvgxIbieti pic.twitter.com/459fi4xnVo

— Rene For Portland (@reneforportland) September 22, 2023

• A Corvallis  company is scheduled to open a robot-building factory in Salem, which will employ 500 humans to build factory-working robots... with help from other robots in the factory. (If their HR department are also robots? There's gonna be trouble.)

• Speaking of robots, to lessen the crunch on overwhelmed 911 dispatchers, Portland's Bureau of Emergency Communications will start using AI software to answer non-emergency calls. Sample dialogue: "Bleep, blorp, may I help you? You say there's a homelesss person digging through your recycling cans? Then I suggest minding your own business, thoughtless human. Goodbye."

UGH! We all know that local billionaires are *terrible*... but which one is the WORST? See how you score on this and other Portland-based sassy-ass trivia in this week's super fun POP QUIZ PDX! 🧠🤓😍https://t.co/UsiLdnBa8t

— Wm. Steven Humphrey (@WmSteveHumphrey) September 22, 2023

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• After 146 days, the Hollywood screenwriter strike seems to be coming to an end after workers reached a tentative agreement with the studios. However, don't celebrate the return of your fave TV shows and movies just yet... Hollywood's actors are still on the picket line. 

• BREAKING (seemingly?) NEWS:

🚨| Taylor Swift was eating a piece of chicken with ketchup and seemingly ranch! pic.twitter.com/rpAOP2HFtT

— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) September 24, 2023

• Here's your reminder to order your four FREE at-home Covid tests from the government, which should have a picture of Dark Brandon on the box, but for some reason doesn't. 🤷‍♂️

• Soccer star Megan Rapinoe played the final (and victorious) international game of her career yesterday when the US defeated South Africa in a friendly match in Chicago. She'll be playing her last National Women’s Soccer League regular-season game in Seattle on October 6.

We’ll always love you, @mPinoe 👩‍🎤 pic.twitter.com/jgPt9b3iOL

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) September 24, 2023

• Diarrhea-mouth former President Trump is now making wild threats that if he's reelected he will launch an investigation into Comcast—which is the parent company for NBC and MSNBC, whose factual reporting, according to dingbat Trump, is tantamount to "treason." Welp, he is certainly the expert on that.

• Today (and for the next year) you may be reading or hearing about a bunch of silly polls about Biden's 2024 chances against Trump (which I refuse to link to, because they are stupid)—please make a special effort to ignore them, as they have absolutely no basis in reality and only reflect people's fears rather than objective fact. They are also usually commissioned by bad actors or news organizations that love to create drama and fear to increase readership, so maybe focus on reality instead? Please and thank you!

• And finally... if you have time to do this in your busy week, well... bless your heart.

the little glizzy pic.twitter.com/3bZjHZNd5U

— messed up foods (@messedupfoods) September 24, 2023

I don't trust you if you aren't reading something, listening to music, or the pathetic looking at your phone. If all you're doing is staring into space, or looking and judging others, you call that thinking, but what you're going to eat or watch isn't mind expansion, in my mind. You are a waste. You are a waste of an existence to me. The 4 "L." Lingerers, Lurkers, Loiterers, and Leeches. You folks are everywhere. Please leave me alone. I do not like your kind. You are also a waste of time and life to me. I'm not into fake nails. I'm not into fake anything really. Nor am I into curly hair, or braids unless it is the two school girl braids. That is cute and tolerable. Besides the obvious of lameness, if you sit in your car, lights on and engine running, especially during the day time, you are the lamest of all lame. I don't trust you, nor do I like you in any capacity. The fifth "L." Lazy. All you all are. Too lazy to turn off those car lights especially during the day. Too lazy to turn off highlights. Too lazy to walk a few blocks. I do not like you. If you sit with your feet on seats on public transit or they're dangling in the aisle blocking the way, I will kick them. When I see you on your porch at any and all hours, being a nosy human, or head down on your phone, I also think you are a waste.

GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.)

• Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell Will Step Down, as Mayor Announces Interim Chief

Portland's current police chief, Chuck Lovell, will step down from the role next month. Retired Deputy Chief Bob Day will serve as interim chief until mid-2025. Day was head of training when PPB used a derogatory, right-wing meme in training materials.

• POP QUIZ PDX!

Strap on those brains—it's time for another POP QUIZ PDX! This week's sassy trivia Qs include: fire department joy rides, buttholes who harass the Chapman swifts, and behold... Portland's WORST billionaires! 🎩💰🤮

• New Oregon Law Requires Transparency From OHSU About Its Primate Research Center

After years of mishaps and notable animal deaths, new legislation aims to give the public more insight into a federally funded primate testing site at OHSU.

• Making Matta Moves

You had me at "more shrimp paste." Iconic food cart Matta planned a business pivot and landed at Lil’ Dame, where the restaurant collective’s supportive model has given Chef Richard Văn Lê freedom to lean even harder into Vietnamese flavors.

• THE TRASH REPORT

Let's go, trash pandas! 🦝 It's time for the latest hot gossip. This week: Old-on-old crime, Lauren Boebert's Beetlejuice handy, and OH! How dudes love pitting successful women against each other.

• Portland Youths Call for Local, State Climate Action at Annual Climate Strike

Hundreds gathered in downtown Portland to march during a youth-led climate strike. The strike saw teens skip school to demand Gov. Tina Kotek declare a climate emergency. Protesters also lambasted Zenith Energy's operations in Portland.

• HEAR IN PORTLAND

No more leaving town for a bit—we're staying HEAR IN PORTLAND to catch up on Dani Danger’s debut music video, and a powerful song about trans erasure from Bijoux Cone. Plus, there’s still time to check out the final shows at Doug Fir Lounge.

• Where to Pick Up Our Fall Arts Guide

It's another love note from Mercury editor Wm. Steven Humphrey about our bangin' new Fall Arts Guide, and how you can help us put out even more bangin' print issues in the future! 😍

• What Does Basketball Fashion Have to Do With Basketball?

Fly, a new book by Portland-born author Mitchell S. Jackson, examines the profession of basketball and its intersection with fashion. And it has some of the coolest photos we’ve ever seen.

• Why Were So Many Libraries Closed This Summer?

You aren't imagining it. Seven out of 19 Multnomah County libraries are currently closed. Here's what's happening, and why it's all happening at once.

• SAVAGE LOVE

In this week's column: A reader's wife might be cucking him... but not the way he claims. Also, the girl he dated in high school grew up to be a pro-Domme. Should he book a session?

WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF GOOD READIN'. I hope you didn't have any other plans this weekend! Dig in, and remember: Producing all this hard work costs moolah—so please consider contributing to the Mercury to keep it all coming! Thanks!

The Evolve Experience is stressful. That was the one-word description a member of the audience voiced, at a preview dress rehearsal for the show—which plays four times at the Winningstad Theatre this weekend. The dozen or so community and media members assembled all nodded in agreement.

Other words that might describe the ongoing work of the Red Door Project, an organization that uses primarily theater arts to explore the relationship between law enforcement and the greater public?

Sobering.

Didactic.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Red Door Project has been turning heads with their boundary pushing plays since at least 2016, when Hands Up, a series of monologues about racial profiling, exploded into art world discourse. To say that the show was successful is an understatement. They followed it up with 2018's Cop Out, monologues about police experience, drawn from conversations with predominantly African American officers. Eventually Red Door combined the two shows into the Evolve Experience, which was less of an exercise in equivalency than it was a multidimensional chart of perspective. 

I saw Evolve Experience in 2019, and it was both illuminating and overwhelming. The form Evolve Experience takes currently is less awe-inspiring, but also easier to understand—which is the whole point of the performance.

Opening with a series of broadcast clips, displayed on a video screen raised high on the stage wall, the preview began with a jumble of footage from recognizable, chaotic moments in recent history. It built to a moment of implied overload. Then the video visage of Red Door's co-founder Kevin Jones appeared to the impart the purpose of the show. Evolve wants to traverse such images / instances and the feelings they create and introduce a recommended three stage flow to their audience: Notice when you feel protective of yourself, work to expand by listening to others, and evolve into a more understanding mindset. In brief, protect, expand, evolve.

The flow is a work in progress itself. It reminded me of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, however you feel about that. I am in favor.

Following the video intro, we were finally treated to some theater. A smartly-dressed La’Tevin Alexander launched into a monologue that filled the nearly empty stage—on the stifling and existential threat of racial profiling. In the pin drop silent theater, the heavy boots of Joseph Perez Bertòt, wearing a police vest, uniform, and gear, interrupted Alexander's rage, and then became the target of it. The two faced off, with charged phrases piling high the philosophical weight of their discourse.

And then we watched another video. The video wasn't bad—it was based on a monologue from the 2019 performance. The video's format heightened some aspects of the piece, but lost something in the jarring transition between the warmth of stage acting and a recording—even a well done recording.

The rest of the show unfolded in a similar fashion. Alexander and Bertòt raised the blood pounding energy of the room, and then another prerecorded segment cut in. The filmed actors conveyed the monologues well, and the stories chosen were some of the best from what we saw in 2019. But those transitions was where the show began to feel like a school assembly.

"This is not a show, at least not in the traditional sense," Jones had explained in the intro. Evolve Experience's goal is "not to entertain," he said. So while I wanted more actors—and the chaos of those powerful, dramatic monologues that I remembered—I could also admit that the new format streamlined it to fit the Red Door's purpose nicely. 

Red Door Project co-founder Lesli Mones agreed with my guess during a brief audience talkback portion, after the preview. Evolve Experience has been slimmed down for travel—after its Portland dates it will show in Salinas, California. Mones noted that it's much easier to travel with just two actors than eight. 

So while I'm nostalgic for the emotional chaos of the previous Evolve Experience, I respect what Red Door has done here. It is art made to educate and be easily understood, and things that are easy to understand often, necessarily so, lose a little of their complexity.

I wouldn't want to see Evolve winnowed down to an entirely video format—the live stage portions are the heart of the production. There's still something unknowable and alchemical about an actor onstage that simply cannot make it through a video screen. Red Door were smart to keep live actor tension their cornerstone.

The Evolve Experience plays at the Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, Fri Sept 22 & Sat Sept 23 7:30 pm, Sat Sept 23 & Sun Sept 24 2 pm, $24, tickets here, age recommendation of 13+

The Portland Police Association (PPA) and former Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty say they’re happy to be moving on after the PPA and two police officers settled a lawsuit with Hardesty for $680,000 earlier this week.

Hardesty filed suit against the city, the police union that represents rank and file officers, as well as Officers Brian Hunzeker and Kerri Ottoman back in 2021, when police and emergency dispatchers leaked false information about her to the media an in attempt to disparage her.

Hardesty’s settlement with police comes roughly two weeks after a judge sided with Hardesty on several legal claims in a summary judgment ruling, and about a month after the city of Portland issued a public apology to Hardesty and agreed to pay $5,000 to settle its portion of the lawsuit over the leak of false information.

The lawsuit, which initially sought $5 million in damages, stems from an incident in March 2021, when dispatchers with the Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC) received a call about a hit-and-run crash with minor damage. The white woman whose car was hit misidentified the other driver as Hardesty, who served on the Portland City Council at the time. The damage was minimal, described in legal documents as “a one-centimeter circle” likely caused by a license plate screw from the other vehicle.

Despite limited police staffing at the time, Portland police officers interviewed the caller on the evening of March 3. Then around 1 a.m. on March 4, police went to Hardesty’s house and banged loudly on the door, waking up a neighbor. Hardesty didn’t answer the door.

Court documents show police found out earlier that day that Hardesty previously owned a gold Volvo. The caller's description of the vehicle that hit her and fled was subsequently changed in the official police report, to match the one Hardesty had in 2019. 

It was later revealed that Hardesty wasn’t the driver and didn’t own the car involved.

Shortly after the reported hit-and-run, the call log information was shared by BOEC employees with members of the PPA, namely, Hunzeker, who served as union PPA president at the time.

Hunzeker and Ottoman colluded to leak the information to The Oregonian and conservative political group Coalition to Save Portland, in hopes of smearing Hardesty’s character, legal documents show.

The fiasco sparked an internal investigation over the misconduct of city employees, who broke city rules against sharing private information from an emergency call publicly.

That investigation revealed the police officers acted outside the scope of their authority and  intentionally sought to discredit Hardesty–who’d called for greater oversight and scrutiny of the Portland Police Bureau–before the 2022 election. Hardesty had also led the call to disband and divert funding for the Gun Violence Reduction Team, citing data suggesting it disproportionately targeted residents of color, and did little to get guns off the street. When the specialized unit was eventually nixed, it sparked a larger misconception that the city was “defunding the police” amid a racial justice uprising following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis law enforcement.

Hunzeker was terminated for his role in the incident, but later reinstated after arbitration.

Earlier this month, attorneys for the PPA, Ottoman, and Hunzeker argued that Hunzeker was exercising his rights to free speech when he conveyed the false information. Circuit Court Judge Lynn Nakamoto ruled otherwise, noting just because an action has elements of speech, doesn’t mean it’s protected speech, as defined by the law. 

“Hunzeker was free to speak with the press or to use social media to contest Hardesty’s comments and views and to advance his or PPA’s messages about the protests happening in Portland during Hardesty’s tenure as a city commissioner, which he in fact did,” Nakamoto wrote in a summary judgment ruling. “But I am not persuaded by PPA’s legal argument conflating Hunzeker’s misconduct with speech protected by Article 1, section 8.” Nakamoto also noted that not all of Hunzeker’s actions could be considered speech.

“Procuring a copy of a CAD report during the middle of a criminal investigation when he was not involved in it was not a speech act,” Nakamoto wrote.

Sgt. Aaron Schmautz, president of the PPA, said the decision to settle was made by PPA’s insurance carrier.

“The PPA carries insurance and when litigation is involved, insurance companies must make business decisions about settlement. In this case, the PPA’s insurance carrier made the business decision to settle this case,” Schmautz stated. “The PPA is pleased to have this matter behind it.” 

In a public apology to Hardesty issued in August, Mayor Ted Wheeler, on behalf of the city acknowledged the leaks “negatively impacted Commissioner Hardesty’s public image and undermined her efforts to bring about police transformation and reform.”

In a statement this week, Hardesty said she’s thankful the suit against the PPA and individual officers is now resolved.

“This settlement holds the Portland Police Association and the individuals accountable for their wrongful conduct and the unnecessary harm they caused,” Hardesty wrote. “While this settlement does not make me whole, I’m hopeful that shining a light on this unfortunate situation will prevent others from having this burden brought upon them.”

WHY—OH WHY do we have to change our clocks two times a year? It is BAD for our physical health and BAD for our mental health. Why can't our governments agree on something so simple as to resolve this silly clock changing twice a year. I have the OBVIOUS answer. Change clocks 30 minutes ONE TIME and NEVER touch them again.

I DO believe that gummy worms are a UN plot to get us used to eating worms and larvae.

Fall officially starts tomorrow, and we'll be ushering in the season with cheap and cheerful events from Fresh Hop Pop-Up Beer Fest to KBOO Community Radio's 55th Birthday and from Celebrating 75 Years of Forest Park to Free Entrance Days in the National Parks. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week.

Club Nowhere x Opal Underground Presents: Jeffrey Sfire, Sappho, and DJ Orso
Named symbolically after the multi-faceted gemstone, Opal is a tribute to Portland's queer underground nightlife. This weekend, they’re teaming up with the newly debuted Club Nowhere for an evening of dance-forward house music and queer clubbing, soundtracked by world-renowned selector Jeffrey Sfire. Perhaps best known for his collaborative Italo-disco project Sfire with longtime friend SOPHIE, he will keep you dancing with a high-energy blend of '80s Italo, Hi-NRG, and Chicago house bangers. Be sure to arrive in time for opening sets from local DJs Sappho and Orso. AUDREY VANN
(Holocene, Buckman, $15)

What, dear reader, was the greatest week of your life?

Think back on that moment. Treasure its beautiful memory. Then THROW IT IN THE TRASH, because the Portland Mercury’s Wing Week is about to make every other week you’ve ever experienced look like GARBAGE.

That’s right: From Monday, October 2 to Sunday, October 8, the Portland Mercury’s Wing Week returns—with creative, one-of-a-kind chicken wings available at 62 Portland locations! Even better? Each order of wings will only cost you a mere $8! Yes, it will be amazing—because the Mercury and our Wing Week partners at Jim Beam (thanks, Jim!) wouldn’t have it any other way!

Read on for a complete list of this year’s wings—and once you stop drooling, keep a few things in mind:

 TIP, AND TIP WELL! Wing Week’s a ton of fun—and making it happen takes a ton of work! Make sure everyone behind Wing Week—everyone working on the floor, in the kitchen, and behind the bar—knows how much you appreciate them. Wing Week couldn’t happen without ’em!

WINGS... AND MORE! As subtly implied by the name “Wing Week,” wings ARE the focus of Wing Week. BUT! Each Wing Week location also has an amazing array of sides and drinks that are a perfect match for their wings! Don’t miss out!

HAVE FUN! This is Portland’s biggest Wing Week ever—and it’s almost guaranteed that despite everyone’s best efforts, there’ll be lines, sell-outs, and more. So if one location is too crowded? Just come back another day, and in the meantime, hit another Wing Week location!

#PORTLANDWINGWEEK  The Mercury’s got you covered with Wing Week updates, reviews, and tips on Facebook, as well as Twitter, Threads, and Instagram (just search the #mercurywingweek hashtag for loads of up-to-the-second info). And on the WING WEEK homepage, you’ll find useful stuff like a handy map of all WING WEEK locations, which also makes for a great tattoo.

WE ADORE YOU!
Thank you so much for partaking and enjoying in the Mercury's food weeks and supporting small local businesses—especially those who may not get the attention they deserve!

YOU'RE THE BEST. And, as always, if you appreciate the Mercury's daily efforts to keep you informed and entertained, please consider dropping a small contribution so we can keep it going!

Again, GO HERE TO SEE ALL 56 (!!) OF THESE DELIGHTFUL WINGS IN THEIR SUCCULENT GLORY, and get ready for the most tummy-pleasing week of your life: the Mercury's WING WEEK! Coming at ya October 2-8 at more than 60 locations... and for only $8 a plate? What?? YES!!

In an unexpected move, PacifiCorp executives recently announced an ambitious plan to expand the company’s carbon footprint. Their plan hinges on a tried and true strategy of putting roughly 1,200 cars back on the road in Oregon three days a week. With the average employee driving a round trip of 20 miles each day, this equates to approximately 72,000 pounds of greenhouse gas every week. Assuming those cars are on the road 48 weeks each year the total emissions should hit 1,570 tons in Oregon in 2024. In all seriousness, this goes against PacifiCorp committing to a net zero future. By reversing their remote work arrangements they are in effect increasing the amount of greenhouse gas emitted every day. Not only that, but other people that do need to report to a physical work location throughout the Portland area will now face increased traffic and commuting times. For all the “we care” press releases the company has put out, this new policy stands in stark contrast to their commitment to reduce pollution. Maybe it’s time for the company executives to adapt to the new normal and fully embrace remote work and the many benefits it provides. Or just acknowledge that they aren’t really doing everything in their power to reduce pollution; they are just doing what is required and nothing more.

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 Friday! It's going to be sunny and warm today, but say goodbye to all that— starting tomorrow, it'll OFFICIALLY BE FALL, and we'll get rain all next week to show for it. YAY!

Now, time for the news.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Former Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty accepted a settlement of $680,000 in her lawsuit against the Portland Police Union and two officers who spread misinformation that she committed a hit-and-run in early 2021. The settlement avoids a trial which was supposed to begin next week. She also received a written apology from Mayor Ted Wheeler last month, which came with an additional $5000. Not sure if it's a fair trade for the racist smear campaign against her in the press and on social media, but I'm glad she'll getting something out of this whole boondoggle. 

• Jessie Burke, a Portland businessperson who owns The Society Hotel in Old Town, was a member of Gov. Tina Kotek's downtown task force — until she was booted this week because of her ties to Nathan Vasquez’s campaign for Multnomah County district attorney. Whoops! 

• A new vision for the Lloyd Center has been submitted to the City of Portland and is making waves around social media. The latest Lloyd Center revitalization plans do not include a Major League Baseball stadium, but do include housing, retail, and community gathering space—and excitingly, getting rid of a few unnecessary parking garages. 

• Portland's coolest new record shop is three record stores, a bookstore, a radio station, and a music label. Read about the new home of Beacon Sound, Musique Plastique, Super Electric, Lost Avenue, et al. in the 2023 Fall Arts & Culture Preview.

SNL mainstay Colin Jost will drop by Salem to give us his weekend update. Plus, metal’s favorite soprano Chelsea Wolfe has announced a local date for next spring. https://t.co/fXaCOIzFic

— EverOut Portland (@EverOutPortland) September 21, 2023

• Yesterday, the Biden administration agreed to spend more than $200 million and fully fund Native tribes’ plans to reintroduce salmon in the Upper Columbia River Basin. Salmon have been extinct in parts of the Columbia River Basin for more than 80 years thanks to the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington. The money will, among other things, be used for making accommodations to dams on the Columbia so salmon are able to get travel past them. Salmon and tribal sovereignty wins are great to see.

• Get thee to Ashland for the 2024 Oregon Shakespeare Festival:

Three stages. Limitless worlds! Watch our 2024 season take flight ✨

LEARN MORE: https://t.co/ltTgnSrdxv#OSF2024 pic.twitter.com/ySLTemJViV

— Oregon Shakespeare Festival (@osfashland) September 20, 2023

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Speaking of Shakespeare: Prepare ye, East Coasters, for lots of rain this week from Tropical Storm Ophelia. 

• The U.S. Government is on the verge of a shutdown as far-right loonies in the House have seized control from Speaker Kevin McCarthy and refuse to come to an agreement on a spending plan. Dark Brandon has emerged with some words on the situation:

Last time there was a government shutdown, 800,000 Americans were furloughed or worked without pay.

But enjoy your weekend. https://t.co/wAz1SpInV5

— President Biden (@POTUS) September 21, 2023

•  The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike is growing to 38 General Motors and Stellantis plants in 20 states. Ford has agreed to some of the union's demands during recent negotiations, so it will be spared additional strikes for now. 

Auto workers at 38 @UAW @GM and @Stellantis plants are being called on to strike due to the lack of progress at the bargaining table.

"We will shut down parts distribution until those 2 companies come to their senses." pic.twitter.com/mDwWNeTxEL

— AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIO) September 22, 2023

• Finally, may all your autumns begin so cozily: 

Hugs and snugs mode activated by a pile of rhino hay pic.twitter.com/40r4g10qya

— Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) September 20, 2023

Or, who do I make this out to? Whats the deal? Seriously, what's the deal? Why are chips now close to 6 dollars? I guess inflation is natural but what is zero logic is the fact that you have to make deals of buy 4 or 5 to get the price of $2.99. What makes sense is keeping the price level at the 3 to 4 dollar range and people will continually buy them so you do not contribute to overweight health issues and obesity. I'm sure you are seeing sales declining so you do this buy 4 for a good deal. 4 at the price of 3 dollars is $12. Or people buy 1 for the price of 6 dollars, which is still decent money you make, but I guess you risk people not buying it because it is such a rip off. There aren't more chips in these bags. In fact, you have a deal of 2 for 4 dollars for the small snack size bag which is even more a ripoff because there's like 3 chips in the bag and it cost half the price of a big bag. You really must be trying to get people fat. You must really think we have parties everyday to buy 4 bags of chips just to satisfy our cravings.