City Cast Portland
Portland’s illicit massage parlor boom
September 26, 2024 · — Rachel Monahan
Good morning! The superstar rapper Aminé hasn’t forgotten the school he graduated from. Benson Polytechnic High School’s team colors are on a new sneaker that he’s launching in November. And Aminé is also donating $25,000 to fund college expenses for students in the same Benson radio program that inspired his music career.
What's CITY Talking About?
No Investigations for Workers Making $53K+
Facing a budget crunch, the Oregon Labor Bureau will stop investigating complaints of failure to pay overtime or other compensation problems for workers earning more than $53,000. This comes after wage complaints increased 200% between 2020 and 2024. The agency is asking the governor to increase their budget by 36% over the next two years. [Oregonian 🔒]
Threefold Increase in Illicit Massage Parlors
The number of illicit massage parlors has tripled in Portland — to 114, up from 36 in 2019, according to nonprofit watchdog The Network. While Lake Oswego and Newberg police have cracked down on massage parlors and prosecuted sex trafficking rings, Portland police have not. [Willamette Week]
Your Guide to Woodlawn
The northeast neighborhood of Woodlawn is like a small town, with its own historian and unofficial mayor. Woodlawn resident (and Multnomah County’s ranked choice voting project manager) Leah Benson shares her favorite places to go and what makes her neighborhood unique. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
What To Do
Thursday, Sep. 26
- 🧑🍳 James Beard Foundation's Taste America | 7 p.m. | $171.94+ | The Redd on Salmon Street
- 📽️ Portland Dance Film Fest | 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. (through Saturday) | $42 - $52.50 | Tomorrow Theater
- 🎤 Peter Hook & The Light | 8 p.m. | $47.47 | Downtown
Friday, Sep. 27
- 🎮 Portland Retro Gaming Expo | 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (through Sunday) | $31.49+ | Oregon Convention Center
- 🐊 Zootoberfest | 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. (through Saturday) | $60 + | Oregon Zoo
- 💃 Burlesque Dinner Cabaret | 7 - 10 p.m. | $23.18+ | Kenton
- 🎵 Sadgasm & Sad Boy Union | 7 - 11 p.m. | $10 | No Fun (Hawthorne)
- 🎭 Tipping Point: What the Portland Protests Tell Us About the State of America | 7:30 p.m. | $20 suggested | Portland Center Stage
🍴 Before I go: The New York Times’ new list of their 50 favorite restaurants in America includes two relatively new Portland spots: Yaowarat and L’Orange.
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