Portland’s crackdown on illegal Airbnbs didn’t happen

Progress on Columbia River Trail

A new 2-mile portion of the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail has been completed, part of linking Viento State Park to Mitchell Point. The Oregon Department of Transportation needs upward of $45 million to complete the final portion of the trail, connecting Mitchell Point to Hood River. [KOIN]

Hillsboro Hops Seeking $20M by Month-End

Local Minor League Baseball team the Hillsboro Hops are lobbying for more public funding for a new $120 million stadium, saying without it they may be forced to relocate. The team is putting $82 million of private funding toward the new stadium; they have secured public assistance for some of it, but are $20 million short after the State Legislature did not approve the hoped-for sum.  [KGW]

Promised Crackdown on Illegal Airbnbs Didn’t Happen

There are 3,770 short-term rentals listed in Portland on Airbnb’s site, but only 830 units have a city permit. That’s after City Hall pledged a crackdown in 2019. The city is promising a new approach, but there’s skepticism that will actually work. [Oregonian 🔒]

School Safety Is Paramount

Safety concerns at schools are among the top concerns for teachers, parents, and students. Natalie Pate, OPB K-12 education reporter, lays out what to expect in the year ahead, including a possible strike by Portland Public Schools’ teachers. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Oliver Casillas, a Mexican-American artist living in Talent, Ore., painted the mural that was last week’s treasure hunt.

“What Keep Us Together,” in the artist’s words, was “inspired by the iconic portion of land shared by Mexico and the United States — the Sonoran Desert. This mural aims to depict the shared nature among them, the purity, and reality behind skin colors, languages, ways of thinking, and religions. In other words, behind the human being.”

A shoutout to photographer Mark E. McClure, who identified the spot and shared his shot of the mural. Thanks, Mark.

Here’s another image from Mark’s lens.

Do you know the spot? What’s your reaction to it?

📖 Paulann Petersen & Amy Baskin | Tuesday | 7 - 8 p.m.

Two acclaimed local poets read from their new books. [Free, Multnomah Village]

🤣 Keith Johnson & Garrick Bernard | Tuesday | 8 p.m.

Two Los Angeles-based comedians promise laughs, one with laid-back hilarity and another with dark humor. [$26.05, Humboldt]

🎵 U.S. Girls | Tuesday | 8 p.m.

Meg Remy’s latest album “Bless This Mess” blends pop, funk, and slow jams. [$26.07, Boise]

Teacher Strikes, School Safety Concerns, and Relocating Jefferson Students

Kids across the Portland area have returned to school. Though remote learning, social distancing, and mask mandates may be in the past, the longer impacts of the pandemic are still lingering in Oregon schools. There are a lot of concerns on the minds of local parents and teachers: From worries about safety to entire school relocations and possible teacher strikes. Today on City Cast Portland, OPB K-12 reporter Natalie Pate is here to talk about some of the biggest issues facing our schools right now.