City's delay proves deadly in East Portland

Oregon Coast Wind Farms

The federal government has finalized the locations for two offshore wind farms: off the coast of Coos Bay and the town of Brookings, near the California border. The 195,000 acres of wind turbines will be enough to power ​​800,000 homes. [Associated Press via Washington Post]

• Related: Tribes and the fishing industry are objecting to the locations. [Oregonian]

Oregon Is COVID-Careful No More

Once among the nation’s most cautious, Oregon’s health officials have led the way in policies that allow people to return to work and school while they’re still testing positive. (They’re still supposed to mask in public for 10 days.) That’s a policy that California has adopted now and that the Centers for Disease Control may follow too — over the objections of some epidemiologists. [Oregonian]

6-Year Delay in Fixing Deadly Street

Six years ago, the city identified an East Portland intersection as needing safety improvements. But a car hit and killed a 71-year-old man just after dark last week, at Southeast Woodstock and 97th Avenues. The Portland Bureau of Transportation blamed its budget problem for the delays in making the intersection safer. [Willamette Week]

Portland’s Most Interesting New Restaurants

Oregonian restaurant reporter and critic Michael Russell shares his picks for the most exciting new bars and restaurants, from the widely-acclaimed to the overlooked. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

It’s time to open our metaphorical mailbag. Thanks to those who wrote in to share their perspective:

Where to Go on Northwest 21st Avenue

I left some reader favorites off my guide to Northwest 21st Avenue this week, including “Cafe Mingo and Bar Mingo!!” and also: “You are missing the best Chinese restaurant in Portland: Kung Pow, corner of NW 21st and Glisan. And more expensive, but G-Love New American Kitchen between Raleigh and Savier is a fantastic restaurant. Seriously delicious food at both of these places.” — Fancy

Bottle and Can Redemptions and Fentanyl

In last week’s newsletter, I included a news story on concerns that Oregon’s cash redemptions for cans and bottles are fueling the fentanyl crisis. The proposal to stop providing cash and instead food credits drew this response:

“I would rather the individuals get money the current way rather than switching to robbery for the funds. I have also run into people selling food stamps!!” — Sheree

Portland Lawlessness

The story about the great-grandmother recovering her own stolen Cadillac, along with Portland’s plan to issue more parking tickets, inspired this response:

“This is why I left PORTLAND! The general lawlessness scared me. I did not feel safe living there. When I got pregnant, I moved to the suburbs, because I was too scared to bring a new human to a place like that.” — Jill T.

In Defense of Some Drivers

“I’d like to respond briefly to Amanda’s concern [in Tuesday’s newsletter] about ‘death machines’ (i.e. cars) blocking sidewalks when they are pulling out into a busy street. Yes, unfortunately, that often happens; not so much necessarily because a driver is rude but simply because the driver has to proceed out sufficiently to see oncoming traffic before entering the roadway. Many times this is because parked cars are obstructing the driver’s view of oncoming traffic. Remember, too, that these death machines (both cars and trucks) can get our children safely to their schools, the sick and elderly to their doctor appointments, a boat load of groceries to a large family (and those same groceries delivered to our neighborhood stores). We like to ask drivers to share streets with bicyclists. Can pedestrians be asked to briefly share sidewalks with cars as they try to safely enter those same streets?” — Bill Novak, SE Portland

Drop me a line anytime at [email protected]!

Go Eat at These Restaurants Now

Oregonian restaurant reporter and critic Michael Russell shares his pick for the most exciting new bars and restaurants that opened up in the last year, from the widely-acclaimed to the overlooked. (Did you know that Portland has some of the best Mayan food on the West Coast?)