🦙 An unexpected local hotel amenity

Portland's About To Get Hot

The Portland metropolitan area is heating up this weekend with temperatures predicted to approach 100 degrees Sunday and Monday. For many of us, hot days are an opportunity to dive into our nearby rivers and coast to cool off — here are some things to keep in mind. [KOIN]

• Historic heat: Portland is on track to break record temperatures by up to 10 degrees this Sunday, June 14. The previous record high for this day was set in 1988 at 89 degrees. [Oregonian]
• Cold shock: The Willamette and Columbia rivers are still cold with snow melt and water temperatures in the 60s. The risk of cold shock — grasping for breath, heart problems, and cognitive impairment in response to submerging in cold water — can occur in water as warm as 77 degrees. [USGS / National Weather Service]
• The coast: Temperatures are predicted to reach the upper 80s on our coast this weekend, but good weather doesn't mean a lack of riptides. Plus, water temperatures on our coast this time of year can range from the low to high 50s, meaning the risk of cold shock is high. [Accuweather / NCEI]
• Related: Research from Portland State University shows "heat-related illnesses could double by 2040" across the country — alongside the costs associated with treating them. [OPB]

Moda Center Deal in Motion

Portland City Council is under pressure to negotiate a deal with Blazers leadership to renovate the Moda Center this year. While funding details remain unclear, recent reporting by OPB shows the timeline is coming into focus. A council vote on the final lease plan is scheduled for December — if the deal isn't agreed upon by the end of the year, the state's financial support goes away. [OPB]

• Related: Portlanders can join in on a community listening session this weekend. [Portland.gov]

Summer Food and Drink Openings

Portland summers can sometimes feel so jam-packed with fun events and social plans that it can be easy to miss out on new restaurant openings in your neighborhood. Eater Portland released their list this week, including a steakhouse and seafood grill, The Malarkey, an exciting grand reopening of the Portland Mercado (now with a rooftop bar), and Eldorado, a nightclub to replace the old Lollipop Shoppe. [Eater Portland]

A New Leader in Portland Housing

Today on the podcast, host Claudia Meza is sitting down for a one-on-one with Home Forward’s interim executive director, Michael Buonocore, to dig into major challenges facing affordable housing providers right now. Buonocore has led both Home Forward and the Portland Housing Bureau — two agencies at the forefront of our city's affordable housing crisis. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Each week, we feature favorite local spots and organizations picked by City Cast Portland Neighbors. It’s a member benefit, but it’s also a great way to get to know our city:

• “Gol PDX. Watch the World Cup with dozens of your best friends and lose your minds when the good guys score (RIP Toffee Club).” — Riley G.
• "The Portland Fruit Tree Project! They're a nonprofit that will assemble a small team of volunteers to come harvest your backyard fruit trees, and take most of the fruit to donate. Today, they left me more than enough fruit from my tree to make a couple cherry pies, and I get to feel good that the rest is going to people who will appreciate it. What a great idea!" — Katie H.
• "Chill n Fill on N Lombard is a great community space with a lot of great food carts, games for people of all ages, and all kinds of boozy and NA bevs!" — Jonathan B.

Become a City Cast Portland Neighbor today to share your own shoutout in this newsletter and on the podcast!