News Roundup July 7-14, 2024

Bullets fly as temps soar, new center deflects resources from sobering station, good news as DPSST gets back on track with state basic training, woman freed 20 days after PPB's false allegation

At a glance:

• Portland has been without a sobering center since safety concerns led to the closure of CHIERS in 2019. Now, Multnomah County wants to delay opening of a new center until 2026. A proposed deflection center, needed for the revisions to Measure 110, won't start sobering people until 2025. Oregonian

• DPSST's police academy has worked through their backlog after being swamped in 2022. KGW

• A woman spent 20 days in jail after being falsely accused by Portland police. KGW

• There were shootings downtown, in SE Portland, in Central Eastside, and in Northeast Portland this week. Warm weather has long been recognized as a trigger of violent crime.

Reports released this week:

• Multnomah County Jail Report for June 2024

Upcoming events

This week:

• July 18, 2024 (Thursday) 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Central Precinct Annual Report Meeting (website)

• July 17, 2024 (Wednesday) 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP) Full Committee Meeting 7/17/24 (website)

Coming weeks:

• July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: East Precinct Annual Report Meeting (website)

• July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: East Precinct Annual Report Meeting (website)

Opportunities and calls for volunteer service

• New this week: Bicycle Advisory Committee and Fixing Our Streets Oversight Committee (FOSOC) are recruiting new members. See the city's volunteer job board for details

• From last week: Private For-Hire Transportation Advisory Committee and Transportation Network Company Driver Advisory Committee are now recruiting members, as is the Urban Forestry Commission. PCCEP, CRC, PRB are still recruiting. See the city's volunteer job board for details

Policing and crime

Crime and the impact of crime:

• 2024-07-13: OPB - PBOT said nearly half of Portland vehicles had expired registrations. The real number is much lower

• 2024-07-12: KATU - Portland business seeks community aid after $10,000 in goods stolen

• 2024-07-07: Oregonian - Arrest made in case of downtown Portland church’s stolen tabernacle

Gun violence:

• 2024-07-13: Oregonian - One person dead after shooting in SE Portland

• 2024-07-12: KGW - 1 person hospitalized after shooting in Southwest Portland

• 2024-07-11: Oregonian - Man shoots at officers in SE Portland, then fatally shoots himself, police say

• 2024-07-08: KATU - Warm weather can lead to an increase in violent crime, expert says

• 2024-07-08: KGW - 3 people killed in July Fourth weekend shootings in Portland

• 2024-07-08: KOIN - Spectator's car strafed by bullets at NE Portland street race

• 2024-07-07: KPTV - Man shot dead, found in NE Portland motel parking lot

• 2024-07-07: Oregonian - SE Portland shooting that killed 1, injured teen prompts others to ‘think twice’

Police and policing:

• 2024-07-12: KGW - Portland police union's oversight measure misses deadline

• 2024-07-12: Oregonian - Portland police employee lost job amid suspicions she tried to cover up husband’s crime. Now she’s suing the city.

• 2024-07-12: KGW - Charges dropped against Portland woman after police arrest wrong person, lawyer says

• 2024-07-11: Oregonian - Portland police nab alleged arsonists

• 2024-07-10: Skanner - Forum Explores Dangerous Intersection of Brain Injury and Law Enforcement

• 2024-07-10: KOIN - 6 arrested in Portland prostitution sting

• 2024-07-10: KGW - Oregon police academy catches up on officer training backlog

Police-produced media:

• 2024-07-11: PPB - PSA Child Safety Seats

• 2027-07-10: PPB - Bike Squad Took this Ruger off a Convicted Felon

Police news releases:

• 2024-07-14: PPB - Pedestrian Struck and Killed in the Cully Neighborhood

• 2024-07-13: PPB - Shooting at Near Gleason Memorial Boat Ramp, Two Deceased

• 2024-07-13: PPB - One Male Deceased After Shooting in Sellwood Riverfront Park

• 2024-07-12: PPB - Victim in July 5 Old Town Homicide Identified

• 2024-07-11: PPB - Victim Killed in Buckman Neighborhood Shooting Identified

• 2024-07-11: PPB - Multi-Agency Stolen Vehicle Operation Results in Recovery of Multiple Stolen Vehicles

• 2024-07-11: PPB - PPB and OHSU Doernbecher Release PSA on Child Safety Seats

• 2024-07-11: PPB - North Columbia Blvd Reopens, Pedestrian Struck Hit and Run Crash Investigation Continues

• 2024-07-11: PPB - Missing Person Sergey Shirokiy Found

• 2024-07-10: PPB - Suspect Fires Shots At Police, No Officers Injured

• 2024-07-10: PPB - Human Trafficking Mission Results in Arrests

• 2024-07-10: PPB - Victim in June 27 Homicide Identified

• 2024-07-10: PPB - PPB Seeks Input on Directives

• 2024-07-09: PPB - Man Killed in Shooting in the Madison South Neighborhood Identified

Politics and policy

Election:

• 2024-07-12: KATU - 20 candidates qualify for Portland's publicly-funded elections program as deadline nears

• 2024-07-12: Willamette Week - Gonzalez, Rubio Continue to Split Endorsements in Mayoral Race

• 2024-07-11: Willamette Week - Should I Rank a Candidate I Loathe?

• 2024-07-11: OPB - Former county commissioner Smith announces run for Portland City Council

• 2024-07-08: Willamette Week - Portland Police Union Endorsements Quietly Roll In

Criminal justice system:

• 2024-07-10: Street Roots - Oregon prison celebrates its first Pride event

City:

• 2024-07-12: KATU - 'It's obscene', Portland raises stormwater costs 30% for 25,000 customers as of July 1

• 2024-07-11: OPB - Juror criticizes Portland’s request to throw out negligence verdict after police shooting

• 2024-07-10: Mercury - Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Wants City to Rein in Public Comments Criticizing Police During Council Meetings

• 2024-07-07: Willamette Week - Gonzalez Seeks Role in County’s Mediation With Ambulance Contractor

County:

• 2024-07-13: Willamette Week - State Finds No Wrongdoing by Clinic Accused of Fraud by County Officials

• 2024-07-12: KGW - Opening of sobering center in Multnomah County pushed back to 2026 as 'absolute dysfunction' of drug crisis continues

• 2024-07-09: OPB - Months before taking office, Multnomah County’s DA-elect is shaping drug policy

• 2024-07-08: KGW - Multnomah County drug deflection program details — and limitations — come into focus as start date gets closer

Metro:

• 2024-07-10: Willamette Week - Metro and Multnomah County Fear City Tax Collectors Aren’t Closely Tracking the Region’s Two Biggest Taxes

• 2024-07-09: Willamette Week - Metro Should Cut Rate, Lengthen Life of Housing Tax, Staff Recommends

• 2024-07-09: OPB - Metro will consider asking voters to change homeless services tax to include construction funding

State:

• 2024-07-14: OPB - After campaigning as LGBTQ+ rights supporter, Rep. Chavez-DeRemer hasn’t always followed through

• 2024-07-12: OPB - Death toll from Oregon heat wave continues to climb

• 2024-07-12: KATU - Oregon's 142nd Wing unveils new F-15EX Eagle fighter jet, first mission-ready unit in USA

Federal:

• 2024-07-12: KATU - Interstate Bridge replacement gets additional $1.5 billion from federal government

• 2024-07-12: KATU - Oregon Sens. Wyden, Merkley differ in response over Biden's bid for reelection

• 2024-07-10: Willamette Week - Blumenauer Says Biden Should Step Down as Democratic Nominee

Transportation:

• Walking:

  • 2024-07-14: Oregonian - Portland pedestrian dies in Cully crash, police say

  • 2024-07-11: Bike Portland - New map reveals red zones for pedestrian safety risks

• Biking:

  • 2024-07-14: OPB - Waving hands and marking ticks: Portland volunteers gear up for annual bike count

  • 2024-07-11: OPB - Portland passes halfway mark on massive transportation project. Can the central city get back on the move?

  • 2024-07-09: OPB - How the Bike Index finds stolen bikes in Oregon and the US

• Motoring:

  • 2024-07-13: OPB - It’s safety first for Team Oregon, the state’s motorcycle training program

  • 2024-07-11: Bike Portland - Car driver speeds onto bike path adjacent to I-5

Education:

• 2024-07-08: OPB - Where do Oregon and Washington officials stand on cellphones in schools?

Economy and business:

• 2024-07-11: OPB - Kroger and Albertsons may sell over 60 stores in Oregon

• 2024-07-11: OPB - Nike promised big on the environment. It hasn’t delivered yet.

• 2024-07-08: OPB - A measure to help Oregon cannabis workers unionize is headed to November ballot, labor group says

Addiction and recovery:

• 2024-07-11: Willamette Week - Deflection Center Won’t Sober People Until Mid-2025

• 2024-07-11: Oregonian - Plan to delay sobering center’s opening in Portland area until 2026 is unacceptable, backers say

• 2024-07-10: Christian Science Monitor - Stick, meet Carrot. How Portland police and activists teamed up to fight addiction.

• 2024-07-09: OPB - I.D. please. Should kids be able to buy nonalcoholic beer, wine and mocktails?

Housing and homelessness:

• 2024-07-11: KGW - Wells Fargo in Southeast Portland temporarily closes due to safety concerns, nearby homeless camp

• 2024-07-08: KPTV - Faith communities work to build affordable housing in Portland

Other news

Growth and resilience:

• 2024-07-14: OPB - New Holgate library location opens to great fanfare in Southeast Portland