🦠 The West Coast goes its own way on vaccines

Street Roots Asking for Assistance

The nonprofit Street Roots, which publishes the newspaper sold by Portlanders experiencing homelessness, is looking to raise $288,000 by the end of the month. The group got into trouble with operating expenses exceeding revenues after Street Roots’ move into a new larger office building. [Willamette Week]

• Related: Street Roots' donation page.

Western States To Make Own Recommendation on Vaccines

Echoing an approach taken during the pandemic, Oregon, Washington, and California are banding together to form a public health partnership to make recommendations related to vaccines. This comes as the federal government is walking away from the recommendations of medical experts. [OPB]

• Related: The FDA late last month approved updated COVID-19 vaccines, but limited eligibility to people 65 or older or those with a risk factor (yet unspecified). The Centers for Disease Control’s traditional vaccine advisory committee, which was fired and replaced over the summer, has yet to make its own recommendations. [OPB]
• Related: Without a recommendation from the CDC, getting an updated COVID shot requires a prescription from a doctor. [Oregonian]

The Future of Portland Street Response

Unlike the last few years, Portland Street Response has the political support of both the new mayor and City Council — with expanded duties and potentially longer hours of operation. But challenges await as Portland Street Response works to help people in crisis. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Five years ago, thousands of acres of western Oregon burned during the Labor Day Fires. Driven by high winds and fueled by the impacts of a warm dry summer, the fires were deadly and destructive. This year, despite dire predictions, fire season (so far) has been neither as costly nor as widespread. What do you know about Oregon’s wildfires?

Test your knowledge. (The first question, below, links to a longer quiz.)

Can Portland Street Response Live Up to the Expectations?

On today’s podcast episode, City Council made Portland Street Response an equal branch of public safety with fire and police this year — and Mayor Keith Wilson changed policy allowing the unarmed responders to go inside public places and transport people in crisis. The goal is now 24/7 service. Two key Portland Street Response officials, April Roa and Caroline Pope, talk about what’s changed, the challenges ahead, and the next step toward round-the-clock service.