City Cast Portland
Can Oregon actually revoke unemployment payments?
November 29, 2023
Hey Portland! It’s executive producer John Notarianni, in for Rachel for another day. Need a pair of dinosaur earrings? Read on to find where to get ‘em.
What's CITY Talking About?
The Lawsuit Over Oregon’s Pandemic-era Unemployment Payouts
Imagine going on unemployment during the pandemic, only to have Oregon say you have to give back some of that money: That’s the situation about 60,000 people are in, thanks to the state’s legendarily dysfunctional employment department. Tomorrow, a state judge will hear arguments about whether the state’s effort to claw back accidental unemployment overpayments is unconstitutional. [Oregonian 🔒]
Psychedelic Tourists Flock to Oregon’s Legal Psilocybin Centers
The Oregon Health Authority has licensed 17 service centers to offer psilocybin therapy, but practitioners say the majority of patients are coming from out of state. Oregon was the first state in the country to legalize the practice in 2020, and clinics say they now have waitlists with thousands of names. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
Traffic Deaths Climb Statewide
It’s not just Portland that’s seeing a spike in traffic deaths: According to the Oregon Health Authority’s recently released Transportation Safety Dashboard, the number of traffic deaths per year rose 73% statewide from 2010 to 2022. Despite pandemic-related closures, Oregon saw increases in deaths and injuries in 2021 and 2022. [OPB]
- Related: Commissioner Mapps on His Plan to Increase Traffic Stops [City Cast Portland 🎧]
What To Do
🎶 Maria BC | Wednesday | 9:00 p.m.
The classically trained vocalist’s most recent album “Spike Field” has been praised for its ability to “balance raw beauty and digital destruction.” Award-winning Portland-based writer and musician Dao Strom opens. [$16.04, Buckman]
🎞️ ‘Doctor Who’ at 60 | Wednesday | 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate sixty years of the British science fiction series with a screening of the long-running show’s most popular episodes. [$14, Hollywood]
🍵 National Maté Day / Dia Nacional del Maté | Thursday | 5:30 p.m.
Join Edúcate Ya in celebrating the cultural significance and health benefits of Argentina's beloved beverage. It’s a bilingual event featuring snacks, music, an art exhibition — and of course, maté. [$15, South Portland]
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Today on City Cast
Where to Find VHS Tapes and Condoms in A Vending Machine
You’ve probably seen those homemade-looking vending machines tucked away in some of Portland’s hippest bars and restaurants. But instead of junk food, they’re selling kitschy ephemera like old VHS tapes, vampire teeth, or brown paper mystery bags full of unknown gifts. Today we’re talking with the owner of these machines, Taylor Valdes, about operating what could be the most quintessential Portland enterprise: The Venderia.
The vending machine tells you what the animal inside you really is.
Uh oh, someone from the Portland Water Bureau has discovered TikTok. Have a great day!
— John Notarianni
Edited by Wil Fulton and copy edited by Giulia Fiaoni
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