🥪 Portland’s most delicious sandwiches

Drug Deflection Center To Open Next Week

Multnomah County’s drug deflection center will open on Monday after a six-week delay to recruit and train staff. So far 70 people arrested for drug possession qualify for deflection, because they aren’t facing other criminal penalties. [OPB]

Barbs on Abortion and Public Safety at Congressional Debate

At the first debate for the hotly contested 5th Congressional district, state Rep. Janelle Bynum (D., Happy Valley) accused incumbent U.S. Rep Lori Chavez-DeRemer of supporting a national abortion ban. Chavez-DeRemer accused Bynum of being “soft on crime.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle]

Portland’s Best Sandwiches

Where can you find Portland’s most delicious sandwiches? Restaurant critic Andrea Damewood shares her picks for the best hot, cold, chopped, vegan, and everything in between. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

It’s time for what’s in our inbox:

Halloween Decorations

I asked if anyone was seeing Halloween decorations as early as September. That elicited a different response:

“I have just been pretty bothered by people's puzzling and insensitive decorations in recent years...mostly, I keep seeing skeletons hanging from trees as if people are unaware that lynching is a thing (both in the past and today), have never been anywhere close to the South, or have never known a Black person. Relatedly, people are putting body bags on their grass when there's a genocide happening in Gaza. They're also putting caution tape across their lawns when people are suffering from crimes in our own communities and school shootings continue unabated. There’s a difference between embracing death as a part of life, or celebrating the afterlife, and uncritically glamorizing the traumatic circumstances that kill people. I think some people are missing the mark.” — LJ

NY Critic Hated Salt & Straw’s

A New York Post critic gave a Bronx cheer to Salt & Straw’s arrival in NYC. What does Portland have to say about the bashing — and about the locally grown ice cream chain?

“Personally, I have beef with Salt & Straw. I used to love going in there and trying all their weird and interesting flavors, especially their seasonal debuts. However, in recent times, Salt & Straw has really failed me. As a plant-based eater, I’m lucky to find an interesting assortment of seasonal flavors from them. Sometimes, I’m lucky if they even have one at all (outside of their regular menu). And when they do have a seasonal flavor for us plant-based foodies to enjoy, it’s not even ‘ice cream,’ it’s usually a sorbet or something fruity or the likes. Rarely is it ever a creamy delight. I’ve been boycotting Salt & Straw for months… At least [plant-based chain] Kate’s is nearby the Northwest 23rd location [of Salt & Straw].” — Autumn Piersall

Your thoughts? Do you love Salt & Straw and its weird flavors — or hate it? Please share your opinion. Please email me.