City Cast Portland
Where to get rid of paint for free 🎨
July 24, 2023
Hello! Remember when every national news story about Portland was a puff piece? It’s happening again! 🍓 Portland is one example of a pleasant and delicious trend in the New York Times: our New Zealand-style fruit-infused ice cream 🍦 Do you like it? 🥄 Apparently, “it’s almost healthy.”
What's CITY Talking About?
Miss Jeanie, Beloved Librarian for Kids
"Miss Jeanie," as Jeanie Diaz was known to kids, helped thousands of kids to enjoy reading. Diaz, a librarian at the Belmont branch of Multnomah County Library, leaves behind two daughters, ages 8 and 5 after being killed at a bus stop. Police arrested the driver on charges of allegedly driving while impaired. [Oregonian]
Possible Asbestos Contamination After Kmart Fire
On Friday, all events at Luuwit View Park in East Portland were canceled after officials warned of possible asbestos contamination from the nearby Kmart fire. Debris and ash from Tuesday’s fire in Parkrose tested positive for the chemical, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. [KOIN]
Debt Relief for 12,000 Oregonians
The Biden administration is canceling nearly $573 million in federal student loan debt for 11,780 Oregonians — an average of nearly $48,000 each — who have paid their loans for at least 20 years. (They’ll have no federal student loan debt after this.) It’s part of a federal program for low-income borrowers that has often failed to provide the promised relief in the past. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
Portland Air Pollution
Portland air quality is getting worse. Executive director of Neighbors for Clean Air, Mary Peveto talks about why most people still don’t know how polluted our air really is. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
What To Do
📚 Thom Hartmann | Monday | 7 p.m.
The progressive radio host’s new book “The Hidden History of American Democracy” is an analysis and account of the past, but also offers prescriptions for the present moment. [Free, Pearl District]
🎻 Viano Quartet | Tuesday | Noon
The lunchtime concert includes Bartók as well as a new composition from 24-year-old Iranian-American composer Kian Ravaei. [$30, Downtown]
🎶 Katalysst | Tuesday | Noon
The last of this summer’s Noon Tunes concerts, from a folk-rock duo. [Free, Downtown]
Today on City Cast
It’s Not Just Wildfire Season Polluting Portland’s Air
Portland has some of the worst air quality in the nation — and it’s getting worse. As we sit smack dab in the middle of another smoky wildfire season, here’s a conversation from earlier this year with the executive director of Neighbors for Clean Air, Mary Peveto, on why most people still don’t know how polluted our air really is.
Portland, that considered itself so progressive on carbon emissions, was really bad on other emissions.
☀️ We’re off to another summer week!
— Rachel Monahan
Edited by John Notarianni and copy edited by Giulia Fiaoni.
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