Fast-tracking a sobering center for Portland

Growing Pains of Self-Service Gas

Even after Oregon started allowing self-service gas statewide, there’s still job security for station attendants, whose responsibilities now include “mild crisis management,” Portland Monthly reports. Oregonians have stumbled in learning how to pump their own gas: The major mishaps have included putting diesel in a gas-powered car and losing control of the nozzle and spraying gas all over the inside of a car. (How is that even possible?) [Portland Monthly]

• Plus: Gas station employers say there’s still a shortage of job seekers for positions they have available. [Portland Monthly]

Fewer Job Openings in Oregon

Across the state, there were 65,000 job openings at the end of 2023 — a marked 25% decline from the previous year — according to Oregon Employment Department employer surveys. It’s one indication that employers’ post-pandemic struggles to fill jobs may be over. [Oregonian 🔒]

Fast Track for a Sobering Center

As part of the official fentanyl state of emergency, Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards is leading the charge to quickly reopen a local sobering center, where first responders can take people suffering from acute intoxication. Portland’s previous sobering center closed in 2019, with failed efforts to replace it. Now Brim-Edwards has presented a plan that would have the county nail down the location by the end of June and open it by the second half of next year. [Oregonian 🔒]

• Related: This week’s midweek news round-up includes City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez’s decision on Portland Street Response and listener response on the Bottle Bill drop spots. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

A few weeks back, comedian Julia Corral joined the City Cast Portland podcast to discuss the week’s news. But she also answered our question about what makes Portland home for her.

She loves her neighborhood on what she affectionately calls the “back side” of Mount Tabor, being close to the park but also 82nd Avenue and its restaurants. But she loves what’s even closer to home the most:

“I really like my street. I love my neighbors. I live across the street from a 94-year-old Italian man. He's so nice. Sometimes my husband goes and mows his lawn. I also live next door to somebody who has a bunch of chickens. And I feel like this is the greatness of Portland where I don't talk to my neighbors daily, but when I do, it's an exchange of fruits.”

“I do like the community that's built in the area I live in. I think that's very Portland to me. Whatever anybody says about how Portland's changed — and it has over the years — my street's just been a sanctuary, and that really doesn't change.”

What do you love about your block? What makes it special? Please email me if you’re willing to share.

The Conscious Uncoupling of Rene Gonzalez & Portland Street Response

It’s the midweek news round-up: Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez is letting go of his control of Portland Street Response. In the mailbag, there’s your saga of the Oregon Bottle Bill and St. Johns bottle drop stories.