🐦 No, really, it’s still summer in Portland

The Reaction to a High School Cell Phone Ban

Grant High School students are having a mixed reaction to the new policy of losing their cell phones during the school day: There’s less incentive to skip class if there’s no way to find out that your friends are skipping. Losing the chance to play music during stressful times isn’t great. It’s harder to find your friends at lunch in the big school. And yes, there’s more concentrating in class. [OPB]

First Lady Loses Full-Time Staffer

Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson had a full-time adviser for six months, but Meliah Masiba, who is paid $144,000 a year, will return to her post at the Department of Administrative Services this month. She won’t be replaced after Gov. Tina Kotek, facing a backlash, abandoned her plans for a formal Office of the First Lady. [Oregonian 🔒]

One Way To Add Trees

A Portland non-profit Depave wants to build a pedestrian plaza at Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Seventh Avenue with trees and plants to manage stormwater. They have a temporary pedestrian plaza up through September, where they installed a skate park last month. The city has approved making it permanent, but now they need to raise $3.5 million. [Portland Mercury]