News Roundup February 18-25, 2024
AMR and county remain in impasse over ambulance staffing, controversy over PBOT funding measure, PPA's lawyers try to kill 2020 police accountability reform, gun violence prevention funding at risk
At a glance:
County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, who refuses to be bullied into acting with urgency to address the ambulance staffing crisis, was interviewed this week by KATU. In Multnomah County, ambulances are late to 40% of calls, and were completely unavailable 14,774 times in 2023. Portland City Council passed a resolution calling for a staffing model change. OPB
Commissioner Mapps said PBOT wouldn't use 'Fixing our Streets' funding for 'bike lanes that drive everybody crazy' while drumming up support for the tax measure. He backpedaled when challenged by a union member in favor of bicycle infrastructure. BikePortland
A ballot measure has been filed to reverse changes to Portland's police accountability system that voters approved in 2020. The new system has not yet been implemented. Mercury, Willamette Week, OPB
Portland's successful gun violence prevention efforts, which led to a 20% reduction in 2023, were paid for using expiring COVID-19 relief funding. City Council discussed replacing funding for these programs.
Multnomah County Jail deputies facilitated assaults of inmates by gang members. The Sheriff says she was kept in the dark.
A KPTV investigation found that less than 2% of hit and run cases are solved.
Rose City Reform's candidate tracker has been updated with the latest election news, including coverage of Nat West's and Marnie Glickman's candidacy announcements.
Reports released this week:
Upcoming events
February 28, 2024 (Wednesday) 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP) Full Committee Meeting (website)
February 29, 2024 (Thursday) 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: FITCOG Meeting (website)
Opportunities and calls for volunteer service
The PPB's Training Advisory Council (TAC) is seeking to fill 9 volunteer positions. The application deadline is March 25. Information and application link
PPB seeks feedback on directives under review (first phase):
Policing and crime
Highly covered incidents:
2024-02-23: KPTV - Man convicted of killing TriMet bus driver in 2021 gets life sentence
2024-02-21: KGW - Portland woman sentenced for stabbing of Radio Cab driver
2024-02-21: Oregonian - Portland man gets 3 years for racially motivated assault of food cart owner
2024-02-21: KGW - Portland man accused of bias attack pleads not guilty
2024-02-21: KGW - Portland suspect in fatal Naito crash pleads not guilty
Gun violence and prevention:
2024-02-25: KOIN - Portland police: Cyclist dead, man facing manslaughter charge in SE Portland crash
2024-02-23: KATU - Portland Council likely faced with multimillion dollar decision on violence prevention
2024-02-22: Oregonian - ‘Yeah, I’m gonna shoot you’: Man arrested after shooting at N. Portland homeless camp
2024-02-21: KATU - Court docs: Man arrested for 2022 murder of security guard on South Waterfront
2024-02-19: KATU - Portland's gun violence prevention efforts face financial cliff in 2024
2024-02-19: KOIN - Pain palpable 2 years after Normandale Park shooting in Portland
Crime and the impact of crime:
2024-02-24: KATU - Gresham woman charged with manslaughter after fatal crash near Portland Airport
2024-02-23: KATU - Neighbors say they need more help to stop recurrent crime
2024-02-23: KPTV - Diner vandalized in downtown Portland
2024-02-19: KPTV - Family of man stabbed to death in parking lot of a Portland Safeway seek justice
Police and policing:
2024-02-23: KATU - Portland police arrest eight, recover stolen cars, guns and drugs in motel crime mission
2024-02-23: Mercury - Proposed Ballot Measure Would Tank Portland’s New Police Accountability Board
2024-02-23: Oregonian - Police standoff ends with surrender of suspect in attempted NW Portland stabbing
2024-02-22: Oregonian - As graffiti spreads in Portland, police tackle taggers 2 at a time
2024-02-22: KGW - Missing Portland teenager's remains identified 50 years later
2024-02-20: KPTV - Flooded with cases, Portland Police Bureau rarely solves hit and runs, data shows
2024-02-19: KPTV - PPB’s bike squad, OSP arrest multiple suspected drug dealers in downtown Portland
Police news releases:
2024-02-23: PPB - UPDATE #2: Suspect Involved in Burglary Prompting Tactical Response Booked into Jail
2024-02-22: PPB - Chronic Graffiti Vandal Indicted Again After Lengthy Central Precinct Investigation
2024-02-22: PPB - Woman in Foster-Powell Neighborhood Shooting Arrested, Charged with Attempted Murder
2024-02-22: PPB - Portland Police Bureau Conducts Crime Suppression Mission on 82nd Avenue
2024-02-21: PPB - UPDATE: Suspect in 2022 Homicide Arrested
2024-02-21: PPB - UPDATE: Suspect in January Homicide Found Deceased
2024-02-21: PPB - UPDATE: Victim of Deadly Shooting in Hollywood Neighborhood Identified
Police-produced media:
2024-02-25: YouTube - PPB Takes the Polar Plunge Again!
2024-02-22: YouTube - PPB and Multnomah County Crime Suppression Mission Results in Arrests
Other stories:
Politics and policy
Portland government transition:
2024-02-21: Mercury - Charter Reform: City Approves Lucrative Salary, Severance Packages for Temporary Managers
Criminal justice system:
City:
2024-02-25: KOIN - Commissioner Mingus Mapps on the current state of PBOT, campaign for mayor
2024-02-23: KGW - Portland property owners now have 10 days to remove graffiti
2024-02-21: Street Roots - City adopts Enhanced Service District recommendations amidst criticism
County - ambulance:
2024-02-25: KATU - YVYV: Mult. Co. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson discusses AMR staffing issues
2024-02-20: KGW - Multnomah County chair says she 'won't be bullied' into a quick fix for AMR ambulance response times
2024-02-20: KGW - Multnomah County chair rejects AMR's ambulance staffing pitch
2024-02-20: OPB - Multnomah County chair continues to blame AMR for slow ambulances
County:
2024-02-22: Willamette Week - Multnomah County Parks Its Mobile Library
2024-02-21: OPB - Downtown Portland’s Central Library reopens with decor, tech and restroom upgrades
2024-02-19: Willamette Week - Former Mayor Sam Adams Prepares to Run for Multnomah County Commissioner
Metro:
State:
2024-02-24: KATU - Bill could make assaulting hospital staff a felony, some say it would create disparities
2024-02-22: Willamette Week - Bill That Would Increase Pension Deficit Moves Forward Despite Unknown Costs
2024-02-22: OPB - Oregon lawmakers could limit corporate ownership of medical practices
2024-02-21: Bike Portland - National bike industry org urges changes to Oregon e-bike bill
Federal:
Transportation:
2024-02-22: Bike Portland - Mapps to PBOT union: Gas tax won’t fund, ‘bike lanes that drive everybody crazy’
2024-02-22: Bike Portland - Survey aims to understand barriers to cycling faced by women
2024-02-22: KPTV - PBOT: ‘Rest on Red’ traffic sensor will be tested to slow drivers down
2024-02-21: OPB - E-bike head trauma soars as helmet use falls, study finds
Education:
2024-02-25: Oregonian - Plans to put $50 million towards summer learning hit a roadblock in Salem
2024-02-20: KPTV - Portland Public Schools faces $30 million in budget cuts
2024-02-19: KPTV - Two North Portland schools broken into over the weekend
Economy and business:
2024-02-25: OPB - Federal, Oregon leaders vow to break barriers of entry to trade industries
2024-02-23: PDX Monthly - Underground Power Lines Work. Why Doesn’t Portland Have Them?
2024-02-21: Willamette Week - Another Sortis Holdings Company Faces Eviction as Troubles Mount
2024-02-21: Willamette Week - Three Posh, Empty Office Buildings Test Appetite for Portland Real Estate
2024-02-21: OPB - Shipping giant UPS to cut more than 300 jobs in North Portland
2024-02-18: KPTV - New Seasons workers strike for better working conditions in NW Portland
Addiction and behavioral health:
2024-02-25: OPB - How Portugal eased its opioid epidemic, while U.S. drug deaths skyrocketed
2024-02-24: Oregonian - ‘Fourth wave’ of opioid epidemic marked by combinations of illicit drugs, new report says
2024-02-23: KGW - Oregon lawmakers near compromise on drug decriminalization bill
2024-02-21: Willamette Week - Why Is Oregon’s Mental Health Care System So Broken? Chris Bouneff Says Follow the Money.
2024-02-19: OPB - ‘The Evergreen’: Drug decriminalization up close
2024-02-19: KPTV - Oregon sees highest fentanyl overdose death increase in the nation
Housing and homelessness:
2024-02-22: KATU - KATU checks in with neighbors to find progress being made on homeless encampments
2024-02-22: Willamette Week - City Will Scrap 28 Tiny Pods and Purchase 100 New Units
2024-02-21: OPB - Multnomah County poised to expand affordable housing incentives
2024-02-20: KPTV - Unsanctioned homeless camps under freeways in NW Portland cause concern
Other news
Growth and resilience:
2024-02-21: Street Roots - Kaia Sand | Street Roots building renovation hits delay but will finish later this spring
2024-02-21: OPB - Portland school board moves ahead with plans to relocate district headquarters
2024-02-20: KGW - Portland's Albina neighborhood is on a slow road to healing
2024-02-19: PDX Monthly - Can a Video Game Prepare Us for the Big One?