Portland’s $3.6 million pothole

$3.66M Portland Pothole Lawsuit

A Clark County woman is suing for $3.66 million after hitting a pothole in Southwest Portland. The lawsuit says the bump in the road caused her to hit her head on the car ceiling, despite driving the speed limit and wearing her seatbelt. Her injuries included “a concussion, traumatic brain injury, tinnitus, [and a] torn rotator cuff.” She’s seeking damages from the city, the county, and the state, though Portland is the party in charge of the road’s maintenance. [Oregonian]

Calls to Oust Jail’s Top Health Officials

Multnomah County jail nurses have asked for their two top supervisors to be fired: Corrections health director Zachary Myque Obiero and nursing supervisor Nicole Propert, who are “accused of absenteeism and negligence,” OPB reports. In a letter to county leadership, they say Obiero “watched sports in his office daily,” while Propert was arrested last November for driving under the influence (she pleaded not guilty) as well as reckless driving in March (she pleaded no contest). [OPB]

Portland Photojournalist Highlights Black Rodeos

Ivan McClellan, a Portland-based photojournalist, has a book out this week. “Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture,” is named for the amount of time a cowboy has to stay mounted to earn points in a rodeo. The book explores Black cowboy culture, which has largely been excluded from American popular culture. [NPR via OPB]

• Related: McClellan also created Portland’s first Black rodeo (the city’s first rodeo ever) last year. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

We’re preparing to celebrate our city with the very new (and very real) holiday of 503 Day (on Friday, May 3, aka 5/03, chosen for our area code).

Many of you have submitted new city slogans as part of the festivities, including one from City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza: “Portland: Every rose has its thorn.”

Starting tomorrow, we’ll pare down the list and ask you all to vote on one. (We’ll announce the winner on 503 Day.)

There’s clearly enthusiasm for retiring the current motto — “The city that works.”

Here are some inspiring alternatives, representing the range of sentiment about Portland right now:

Optimism

• “Portland — A bridge building city that spans more than rivers!”— Yahya
• “Rip City — Remixing the narrative” — Reggie Walker
• “The city that blooms and grows” — Anonymous
• “As a lifetime resident, 58 years, I'm thinking ‘The city that perseveres.’” — Josi Yett

Pessimism

• “I still LOVE Portland!…what a dump.” — Derek
• “Portland — the city that drives you to drink (craft coffee and beer)” — Genita Costello
• “How about “Portland. It’s addictive.” Drop the mic and walk away…” — Lee Williams

The Complications

• "The locals don't know how good they have it." — Anonymous
• “‘Weird is what we do!’ or ‘Weird, wild and wonderful!’” — Janelle Fey
• “Portland: 2 hours to the mountain, 2 hours to the coast, and 2 minutes till the weather changes.”“Portland: Your micro-dose of city.” — Anonymous
• "’Portland: the un-metropolis (and we like it that way)’ or ‘Portland: the proud city of unrefinement.’ We'd have to get Aberdeen and Kurt Cobain’s daughter's approval for this slogan but it really does fit our city: ‘Portland: Come as you are.’" — Rachel Reid
• "’The city of poses.’ As for 503 activities — a trip to the rose garden (in Washington Park, of course) and a beer at the Goose Hollow Inn seem particularly apropos.” — A. Rouse

Note: We’re also asking for ideas for how we should celebrate our city on 503 Day. If you devoted the day to it, how would you celebrate Portland?

Why Spring Is the Perfect Time To Visit Oregon’s High Desert

Despite our iconic forests, mountains, and waterfalls, some Oregonians say the real adventure awaits us in the high desert, east of the Cascades. The landscapes are unlike anywhere else in the Northwest with aromatic brush and desert wildflowers, black-tailed jackrabbits, and a big ole crack in the ground. Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding fills us in on why spring is the perfect time to visit the high desert.