City Cast Portland
Portland homicides declined
January 4, 2024
Good morning, Portland! A few corporate giants have blamed local store closures on crime. But now there’s yet another corporate giant accused of falsely scapegoating the crime wave. (Also, crime declined last year by one key measure.)
What's CITY Talking About?
More Damaging Than Crime?
Starbucks blamed crime as the reason for three Portland store closures last year. But federal regulators now say the real reason was efforts by workers to organize a union. The National Labor Relations Board wants the company to reopen the stores, along with 20 other similarly shuttered Starbucks from around the country. [Oregonian]
Homicides Declined in 2023
Portland reported a decline in homicides in 2023, according to initial Portland Police Bureau data. Still, 74 homicides are a tragic loss of life, even if that represents a decline from a record 96 in 2022. [KGW]
Oregon EVs
Oregon is looking to add 370 new electric-car chargers across rural areas of the state this year. Even so, officials say they won’t hit the state’s goal of 250,000 EVs on the road by 2025, since there are just under 80,000 such vehicles registered in the state right now. [OPB]
Tips for National Trivia Day
Portland has an extensive trivia night scene. And for National Trivia Day, Beau Bohanan, co-founder of Untapped Trivia, offers tips on how to win (or at least not look stupid) in the competitive scene. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
Where Is It?
Lone Fir Cemetery, in Southeast Portland, is full of history. The name of this spot within the cemetery might sound familiar: Macleay Mausoleum. Donald Macleay (1834-1897) built the tomb for his wife, Martha MacCulloch.
You may recognize the name from Macleay Park, which is a part of Forest Park, and from Northwest Macleay Boulevard. And you may or may not have heard that Portland has North America’s longest continuously operating bagpipe band in the country named Clan Macleay Pipes and Drums, also named for the family.
Readers Michael Karman, Jen Oliver-Rigsby, Sally Gradin, Mark McClure, Doug Bigham, Linda Christian, Monique Veraart, and Stacey Tripeny all knew the Lone Fir Cemetery spot!
This week’s scavenger hunt comes with a hint. It’s a new replica of Portland’s most celebrated graffiti, which has also been featured in the newsletter. Have you gotten a chance to see it? Send me your answers. (Guesses welcome.)
What To Do
Thursday, Jan. 4
- 🖼️ Free First Thursdays | 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Free | Portland Art Museum
Friday, Jan. 5
- 🪡 AIDS Memorial Quilt (exhibit) | 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (today - Feb. 19) | $19 | OMSI
- 🎄 Zoo Lights | 4:30 - 7 p.m. (final weekend) | $12 | Oregon Zoo
- 🎨 Artist Who Teach (gallery opening) | 5 - 8 p.m. | Free | Old Town
- 🎶 Night Heron and Sun Atoms with Lowland Painters | 8 p.m. | $22.23 | Mississippi Studios
Saturday, Jan. 6
- 🎄 Zoo Lights | 4:30 - 7 p.m. (final weekend) | $12 | Oregon Zoo
- 🎨 ‘Turn Me Over: Molly Lecko Herro and Alim Ringgold’ (gallery opening) | 5 - 8 p.m. | Free | Kenton
- 🇰🇷 Korean Food and Dance Social | 5 - 9 p.m. | Free Admission | Vancouver
- 🎥 Lord of the Rings Trilogy: ‘The Two Towers’ | 6:30 p.m. | $8 | OMSI
- 🎭 ’Ama, the Diver’ (play) | 7:30 p.m. | $17 (sliding scale available) | Foster-Powell
- 🎵 Black Tie / White Noise: Aladdin Sane | 7 and 9:30 p.m. | $26.19 | Jack London Revue
- 🎭 ‘Freedom of Speech’ (one-woman play) | 7:30 p.m. | $27.50 | Humboldt
Today on City Cast
How Not to Feel Dumb at a Portland Trivia Night
In honor of National Trivia Day, Beau Bohanan, the co-founder of Untapped Trivia, talks about what sets Portland’s trivia scene apart and what it takes to lead a team to victory at one of the city’s many trivia nights.
I always get to say to everyone else who attends Untapped Trivia Night, no matter what you place, you’re always number one in my heart.
One note before I go: Our website has been slow to post the latest podcasts this week.
So if you missed the latest City Cast Portland episodes, here are some links: “Why 2024 Could Bring a Seismic Shift in Portland Politics” and “Your Live Music Guide to January in Portland.”
— Rachel Monahan
Edited by John Notarianni and copy edited by Giulia Fiaoni
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