Trump’s PNW 'faucet' for California wildfires

Spike in Forest Fire Costs

Fighting wildfires has cost the state a record $250 million, as a record 1.9 million acres burned this year. That creates an emergency funding issue for the state, but it may be an ongoing challenge. [KGW]

• Related: Wildfire costs have been going up, with expenditures of more than $120 million in three of the last five years — compared with an average of about $11 million a year in the decade from 2002 to 2012. [KGW]

Trump Imagines a PNW Water Solution for California

Former President Donald Trump proposed a solution to California wildfires — piping Pacific Northwest water, possibly from the Columbia River, to Los Angeles. “You have millions of gallons of water pouring down from the north, with the snow caps in Canada and all pouring down, and they have essentially a very large faucet,” said Trump earlier this month. Experts say it's much more complicated than that. [Oregonian]

‘Missing’ Cat Sculpture

Oops, Portland Metro Chamber called for police (and the public’s) help to search for a missing cat sculpture. It was one of many scattered around downtown right now as part of a celebration of the movie “Coraline.” But the statue wasn’t actually missing. A city worker had removed it because of safety concerns — it was coming loose from its base. [KOIN]

The Worst Student Debt in the Country

Until recently, Portland was home to two of the country’s most prestigious alternative medical schools. But they’ve been on the radar of consumer-protection watchdogs, because students routinely take on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, but then earn a sliver of what they’d need to pay back those loans upon graduation. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

A recent visit from out-of-town visitors gave me fresh eyes to see how nice Portlanders can be.

It’s almost a cliché to complain about Portland politeness and the ways it can turn passive-aggressive. It does create silly situations on the road.

Think of the four-way stop where everyone is trying to be considerate of the other drivers and no one is going. Or the driver who halts abruptly to make sure the pedestrian immediately gets across traffic. (Sure, there are plenty of aggressive drivers out there.)

But the roads often feel hospitable, when you’re looking out for a way to change lanes or find a way home.

As rush hour was starting one afternoon, I was driving across the Ross Island Bridge from the West Side. And I noticed an unwritten rule of Portland driving etiquette was in effect: Two entrance ramps have stop signs, but the cars already on the bridge were alternating with the merging traffic.

Another day, I was edging past a stop sign to get a view of a busy street. A pedestrian was about to cross the street. I should have stopped, but I didn’t. I hadn’t seen the person. Instead of cursing me, they smiled as they walked past.

Where do you see Portland’s well-deserved reputation for being nice show up? Any tales of the road? Or elsewhere? Please email me.