City Cast Portland
🌳 How well do you know Portland parks?
June 5, 2025 · — Rachel Monahan
Good morning! It’s shocking, but not surprising at this point how many tents line Portland streets. But what is every level of government doing to address the issue? Right now even the proposals to solve the problem are falling short.
“Even if every bed [Mayor Wilson] has proposed building got built, it would not come up to the number of people that need a bed in Multnomah County,” Oregonian reporter Lillian Mongeau Hughes tells the City Cast Portland podcast.
What's CITY Talking About?
A Problem in the Psychedelic Industry
More than a quarter of Oregon’s legal psychedelic treatment centers have closed, with the industry blaming the state's red tape and high licensing fees. Of the 34 centers that the state approved, just 25 are still open. [Willamette Week]
Medicaid Cuts’ Drastic Impact in Oregon
If the U.S. Senate passes the current budget bill, a fifth of Oregonians enrolled in Medicaid would lose their health insurance, according to a Princeton University study. That's the worst result in the country and amounts to a 4% increase in the rate at which Oregonians are uninsured. That also means hospitals and other medical providers will be on the hook for more of the costs. [OPB]
Unspent Wildfire Aid
The state government has failed to spend most of a massive $423 million federal grant to help with the aftermath of the 2020 fires. More than 90% is unused; less than 5% has been spent on survivors of the fire. [Willamette Week]
How Well Do You Know Portland?
Today, for our second trivia quiz, we’re testing your knowledge of Portland and Oregon parks. (The first question links to an interactive quiz.)
1. What is the deepest lake in the U.S.?
- A: Crater Lake
- B: Devils Hole
- C: Lake Tahoe
Neighborhood Shoutouts
Each week, we’re hearing about favorite local spots and organizations from City Cast Portland Neighbors. It’s a new member benefit, but it’s also a great way to get to know our city:
- Makin' Groceries | Roseway neighborhood | “Makin' Groceries, a pay-what-you-can Cajun cafe, is having a grand opening Friday, June 6th, 11am - 10pm. Live music, drinks, prizes.” —Crystal T.
- Siam Umami | South Portland | “Siam Umami might be the only restaurant in Portland with a perfect 5-star Google rating. Featuring rare Royal Thai cuisine and unique creations you won’t find at any other Thai restaurant. Truly a lovely neighborhood gem that always has a seat waiting for you in its cozy interior, or outside on an idyllic tree-lined street.” — Callie S.
- Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts | “Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts provides educational programming, legal advice, and resources to empower Oregon’s creative and artistic communities to create fearlessly!” — Bryan W.
Become a City Cast Portland Neighbor today to share your own shoutout in this newsletter and on the podcast!
What To Do
Thursday, June 5
- ✏️ Write Around Portland Summer Reading & Book Release | NW Natural (Downtown)
- 🩰 The OBT Collection | Newmark Theatre (Downtown)
- 🖼️ Free First Thursday Street Gallery | Portland Art Museum
- 🎨 First Thursday | The Pearl District
- 🎭 Mother Russia by Lauren Yee | Artists Repertory Theatre (Downtown)
Friday, June 6
- 🎶 PSU Jazz with Inara George | PSU’s Lincoln Performance Hall (Downtown)
- 🐘 ZooBrew | Oregon Zoo
- 🏳️🌈 Queer Joy Fest | Foster Food Carts
- 🎨 First Friday Art Walk | East Side
- 🚲 Northeast Cully Neighborhood Bike Fair | Rigler Elementary
- 📚 Portland Book Week | various locations
- 🍓 Portland Strawberry Museum | Zuckercreme (Montavilla neighborhood)
🐢The Oregon Zoo’s latest babies are, well, tiny.
The zoo will host 17 northwestern pond turtles while they grow large enough to avoid becoming frog food. “These hatchlings are very vulnerable to predators,” said Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo’s turtle recovery program. “At this small size, a bullfrog can gobble them up right out of the nest like a bunch of M&M’s.”
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