🛣️ A $900M increase in I-5 toll money?

CAHOOTS Program Ending

Eugene and the White Bird Clinic have abruptly ended a nationally renowned mobile crisis-response program called CAHOOTS. The group has a funding shortfall. [KLCC]

Expecting Nearly a Billion More in I-5 Tolls

Citing inflation, the Washington Legislature is looking to officially increase the amount of toll money they expect to collect from a new I-5 Columbia River bridge — by $900 million. That will allow the state to bring in more bond money to fund its construction, though an updated cost estimate isn’t due until summer. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]

A Change to the City’s Noise Ordinance?

A Portland City Council committee voted unanimously in favor of changing the noise code — dropping a subjective prohibition against radio, TV, musical instruments, or loudspeakers being “plainly audible” from 100 feet after 10 p.m. Instead, the code would favor measuring decibels — which is now technologically feasible on city-issued smartphones. [KGW]

A Surge of Illegal Massage Parlors

The number of illegal massage parlors in Portland tripled in five years’ time — from an estimated 36 to at least 114. Reporter Eliza Aronson explains what could be done to address human trafficking and abuse of undocumented women. [City Cast Portland 🎧] 

Last year, we here at City Cast Portland and Hey Portland created a totally real holiday to celebrate our city. It was a joyous but quiet celebration on 503 Day in 2024.

But this year we’re throwing a free block party downtown on May 5 with a costume contest for best Portland icon and a live show with Karaoke From Hell — as well as a proclamation, making the date an official Portland holiday. (We’d originally planned a live City Cast Portland podcast taping, but we’ll be doing that another time.)

To prepare for 503 Day, I’m soliciting your ideas for a bumper sticker with a perfectly Portland message. I ran some of your ideas last week, and here are some more:

Simple bumper sticker: I Love Portland

— Pippa Arend

Portland: EccentriCity

— John P. Smith

I Thought About Saying Something: Then I Got This Bumper Sticker Instead...

— Michael Stevenson Jr

Portland — We’re Tryin’

— Anne Daly

Portland, DOGS Not DOGE!

— Jim Gifford

My Other Car Is a Bicycle

— Anonymous

I Just Neutered the Cat. Now He Is a Liberal!

— Lindy

Portland: What Goes Around Comes Around

— Michael Patrick Sweeney

📲 Your bumper sticker nomination: I’m still looking for ideas for the perfectly Portland bumper sticker. Please submit your idea — or respond to this email.

🎟️ And RSVP here — for the latest updates on our 503 Day block party, happening May 3 from 1 - 6:03 p.m. in downtown's Ankeny Alley!