Why so many Oregonians are registered to vote

Give Input on New Portland Government

The city’s transition team is soliciting input on the new Portland form of government, including on committees the new 12-person City Council should have. Those under consideration include Public Health & Public Safety, Sustainability & Climate, and Housing & Homelessness. [Portland Mercury]

• Related: You, too, can answer the city’s survey. The deadline is tomorrow, April 4.

No Bottle Returns Again

Two downtown stores — Safeway and Plaid Pantry — won’t have to accept bottle or can returns again. Gov. Tina Kotek approved another 30-day exemption to the Oregon Bottle Bill. The stores and some neighbors have complained that the redemptions are fueling drug addiction and use near the stores. [Willamette Week]

Sign of Intel’s Good Fortune

Intel has resumed its air shuttle for employees — a sign that the company’s financial picture is much improved. Intel halted the flights last year. Now the company is working on a massive expansion, and has returned to offering flights for employees from the Hillsboro airport to the company’s other locations. [Oregonian]

PDX’s $2B Renovation

Christopher Neal, director of PDX Next Operations for the Port of Portland, is in charge of the $2 billion renovation at Portland International Airport. He has answers on what to expect from this expansion, whether flying has become more dangerous, and if a certain carpet is ever coming back. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Artist Ken Zell, 75, is spending his retirement creating eye-catching installations. They’re located on his property on Northwest Saltzman Road, but also line the street winding up to the nearby entrance to Forest Park. “Seismic Piknic” is among them.

Shoutout to readers Anne, Eric Francisco, Amy Long, and Perla Sitcov, who identified the location.

Also, a shoutout to City Cast Portland podcast listener Leah Fox for suggesting we take a look at these installations.

More on the sculptures:

• Read up on them with “Our Hikes Start With Mysterious Art Installations.”
• See tomorrow’s newsletter for one of Zell’s road signs.

For today’s scavenger hunt, here’s more public artwork, this time more centrally located. Where’s this spot? Bonus points for answering: What’s the deal with these paintings?

Huge Changes Coming to PDX Airport, From the Carpet to the Ceiling

With a $2 billion dollar renovation underway at Portland International Airport, what will the airport look like going forward? The guy in charge of this massive renovation project, Christopher Neal, director of PDX Next Operations for the Port of Portland, explains what to expect from this expansion, whether flying has become more dangerous, and if a certain carpet is ever coming back.