💧🌸 Your guide to March in Portland

New Home for Portland Street Response

There’s new hope for a Portland program that responds to crises on the city streets with mental health workers and EMTs, in lieu of armed law enforcement. After resisting a previous effort to take the Portland Street Response away from him, City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez now appears willing to hand the program over to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who oversees the police bureau and the city’s other public safety responsibilities. [Oregonian 🔒]

• Notably: Gonzalez has failed to expand Portland Street Response, despite recommendations from experts and advocates. Instead, there was a proposal to cut Portland Street Response’s budget this coming fiscal year. [Oregonian 🔒]

Another PGE Rate Hike

Portland General Electric’s 18% rate increase in January caused sticker shock. But now PGE wants approval for another hike: 7% in 2025. The company says this one would help pay for battery storage as it works to provide more solar and wind power to the grid. [OPB]

• Related: Why your utility bills are skyrocketing. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Homicides of Unsheltered Portlanders

A growing percentage of the city’s homicides are of unsheltered Portlanders. Five of 2024’s first 15 homicides (or 33%) were people experiencing homelessness, compared with 11% of 2011 murders. One change police have identified: It used to be rare for people experiencing homelessness to carry guns. [Oregonian]

Your Guide to March in Portland

Happy March! Today, it’s all our top picks for the month in food, entertainment, and everything in between. Portland events expert Michele Venlee joins City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza and producer Giulia Fiaoni.