City Cast Portland
🔥 New concerns about wildfires and blackouts
February 19, 2025 · — Rachel Monahan
Good morning, Portland! A local group wants to make it legal to open cannabis cafés here in Oregon. They’re in the very early stages of a ballot initiative for next year, but California, Colorado, and Alaska already have some kind of option for consuming in lounges 🍃💨
What's CITY Talking About?
Federal Cuts to Northwest Power Source
The Portland-based Bonneville Power Administration is on track to lose 20% of its workforce under the Trump administration’s buyouts, firings, and other cuts. That’s even though it operates as a nonprofit, and the cuts won’t save taxpayers money. [KGW]
- Key facts: A longtime administrator is warning the cuts could lead to electricity blackouts across the Northwest. The BPA owns and operates 75% of the high-voltage transmission in the region, and produces 30% of the power. [KGW]
Providence and Nurses Back to Talking
Providence and the union representing striking nurses held negotiations yesterday and will meet again today. Eleven members of City Council pushed for the hospital to accept nurses’ demands while Gov. Tina Kotek and all of Oregon's Democratic congressional delegation called on both sides to come to a new deal. [OPB]
We have this terrible, perfect storm coming — of too much fuel, the land’s not being tended, and possibly a shortage of people coming to it when it’s a little too late.
Cuts to Federal Firefighter Funding
On the midweek roundup, Oregon’s U.S. senators are raising the alarm about the impact of President Trump’s cuts to fighting wildfires — and even the preparations for wildfire season. Notably, federal land accounts for more than half of Oregon’s acreage. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
What To Do
Wednesday, Feb. 19
- 🎵 David Rothman (lunchtime concert) | Noon | Free | The Old Church (Downtown)
- 🎥 Animated Oscar Nominated Short Films | 6 p.m. | $14 | Hollywood Theatre
- 🥕 People's Farmers Market | 2 - 6 p.m. (every Wednesday) | Free Admission | People's Food Co-Op (Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood)
- 🎵 Vanport After Dark | 7 p.m. | $22.50 | The Arts Annex (Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood)
- 🎥 Buffalo Soldiers (documentary and director Q&A) | 5:30 p.m. | Free | Central Library
Thursday, Feb. 20
- 🌷 Portland Spring Home & Garden Show | 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (various times through Sunday) | $17+ | Portland Expo Center
- 🎥 Bobi Wine: The People’s President (Cascade Festival of African Films) | 7 p.m. | Free | PCC Cascade
- 😆 NW Black Comedy Festival | 7:30 p.m. (various times through Sunday) | $31.50+ | Curious Comedy Theater (King neighborhood)
- 🎶 Terence Blanchard (Portland Jazz Festival) | 8 p.m. | $75.20+ | Newmark Theatre
- 🎵 Magic City Hippies | 8:30 p.m. | $36.41+ | Crystal Ballroom
Friday, Feb. 21
- 📸 Pop-Up Museum (Black History Month) | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (various times Wednesdays through Sundays) | Free Admission | Old Town
- 🎨 Witches of the West | 1 - 6 p.m. (through Saturday) | Free | Chefas Projects (Central Eastside)
- 🍷📚 Pairings and Pages: Volume 3 (Library Foundation of Washington County) | 6 p.m. | $120 | Hillsboro
- 🎥 Inward (screening, discussion with artist and director) | 7 p.m. | Free | PSU’s Lincoln Hall
- 🩰 Giselle | 7:30 p.m. (various times through Saturday) | $38+ | Keller Auditorium
- 🎵 Rose City Blues | 7:30 p.m (various times through Sunday) | $20+ | Alberta Abbey
- 🎶 Erykah Badu (Portland Jazz Festival) | 8 p.m. | $119.50+ | Moda Center
- 🎵 Los Lobos | 8 p.m. | $67.34+ | Aladdin Theater
Bumper sticker update: “Live, Laugh, Beef” is a new favorite.
Speaking of beefing, two Pacific Northwest mountains are having some TikTok drama 🎧
Free · Daily