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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Yep, it’s morning again. I hope you slept well. If not, I’m sorry and I sympathize with you. But hey, I’m happy to report that the weather forecast is very pleasant and temperatures will be between 25 and 25 degrees Celsius for the foreseeable future.
Time to read some news.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• After four years of construction, Portland International Airport’s brand new main terminal makes its grand debut today. The new PDX features a redesigned layout, a new array of food and retail options (both before and after security), and the return of the old, beloved carpet – sort of. (The iconic teal carpet is on the main terminal’s mezzanine.) But you won’t be looking down at the carpet much anyway, because the new terminal’s pièce de résistance is the ROOF, built from 2.6 million feet of Douglas fir lumber that was reportedly harvested in a sustainable manner. Regardless of its actual sustainability, there’s no doubt that the roof is majestic and masterfully crafted.
If you don’t have a flight out of PDX anytime soon, you might still be tempted to check out the main terminal. You can see most of the big changes without a boarding pass, so hop on the MAX and check it out. Portland residents have a special relationship with our airport (has this been studied?), so the hype here is definitely real.
• Despite the struggles and hardships some people have to endure to become the frontrunner in Salem, I find it hard to believe that many people are green with envy when they see Governor Tina Kotek’s job. Being governor of Oregon (or any other state) doesn’t sound like an easy job! But after hearing who Kotek will be sharing the stage with next week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, I’m starting to change my mind.
That was a lot of lead-up to saying that Kotek will be part of a panel of female governors moderated by none other than Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. Louis-Dreyfuss starred in “Veep,” the satirical television show about American politics that seemed pretty prescient compared to the ridiculousness of our current, real-world political situation. All seven women currently serving as Democratic governors will be part of the panel (wow, that’s not very many, is it?). I look forward to seeing Kotek laugh with Louis-Dreyfuss. What do you think they’ll be talking about?
• Nike, Oregon’s largest and best-known company, has made many promises to reduce its carbon footprint as part of its “corporate responsibility.” But guess what? The company’s top executives seem addicted to flying in private jets, emitting tons of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Company data shows that Nike’s two private planes emitted 20 percent more CO2 than they did in 2015. This is one reason Nike and its supply chain have failed to reduce carbon emissions despite promises. Another reason? Nike has laid off about 20 percent of the employees tasked with carrying out sustainability initiatives, leaving fewer people to ensure the company meets its stated climate goals.
Now, Nike and corporate responsibility have not historically gone hand in hand. So is this a big surprise? No. But still. BOO!
• Portland’s Coalition of Freeway Warriors has filed another lawsuit to stop the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) $1.9 billion plan to widen I-5 through the Rose Quarter. This lawsuit, filed just three months after many of the same plaintiffs filed another lawsuit against the RQ project, alleges that ODOT’s plan violates federal environmental standards under the National Environmental Protection Act. The plaintiffs come from six local advocacy groups: No More Freeways, Neighbors for Clean Air, Oregon Families for Safe Streets, the Eliot Neighborhood Association, BikeLoud PDX, and the Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates. While the plaintiffs want ODOT to cancel the widening of I-5 through downtown Portland, they favor cutting I-5 in the Rose Quarter and reconnecting the historically Black Albina neighborhood that was cut through by I-5 construction in the 1960s. And while ODOT is seeking federal and state funding for the Rose Quarter plan, opponents of the highway expansion want the government to focus money on the Albina rehabilitation project – not highway expansion. Highway covers, not more lanes!
This lawsuit is just the latest evidence that despite ODOT’s years-long mission to build positive momentum around the RQ project, there are persistent critics who are committed to preventing the agency from expanding I-5 in the middle of Portland. But given ODOT’s institutional support and backing, opponents are up against quite the Goliath. The next big news on this project will come soon, when ODOT learns whether it will receive a $750 million federal grant to help fund it. Stay tuned.
• Did you know that the Portland Art Museum has a new, state-of-the-art restoration studio? Well, it does, and the museum’s chief restorer, Charlotte Ameringer, is currently working to restore Claude Monet’s very famous and beloved “Water Lilies” painting. The restoration involves using a cotton swab dipped in a special solvent to remove a varnish that was painted over the original work. It’s a laborious process that takes months. But “Water Lilies” should be back on display when the PAM’s major renovation is completed next year and the museum’s four old buildings are put together. Right now, you can see other Monets (as well as works of modern art by Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, and others) at the PAM through September 15 as part of the exhibition “Monet to Matisse: French Moderns.”
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• AIPAC poured millions into the primary to oust Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, two progressive U.S. House members who have criticized Israel’s war in Gaza. But last night’s primary in Minnesota saw the victory of Rep. Ilhan Omar – another member of the “Squad” of progressives who represents the greater Minneapolis area in the House. Omar has also been critical of Israel and was one of the first House Democrats to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. But AIPAC largely stayed out of the race in Minnesota, and Omar had a fundraising advantage over her opponent. It’s a huge relief that Omar won, especially since other progressive elected officials were defeated.
• Although Israel faces global criticism for its incessant attacks on Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of civilians, the US has approved another $20 billion worth of arms shipments to support the Israeli military. Israel is currently bracing for retaliatory strikes from Iran and Hezbollah that could lead to a larger regional war. The US has said it wants to help avoid escalating tensions and is working to broker a ceasefire agreement to end the war in Gaza. So why $20 billion worth of arms shipments to Israel now? The Biden-Harris administration continues to face (justified) criticism for its complicity in Israel’s war in Gaza, and this issue will haunt Harris as she tries to win the presidential election in November. She will need to do more to prove her commitment to the people of Gaza if she wants the support of those horrified by the events of the past ten months.
• Tim Walz spoke at the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) convention in Los Angeles last night, defending his position as a unionist. Walz, a former public school teacher, was a member of a public sector union—and, somewhat surprisingly, will be the first union member on a presidential ticket since Ronald Reagan (Reagan was president of the Screen Actors Guild, but strayed pretty sharply from labor issues as POTUS). I don’t want to hype Walz up too much, but I’ll just say that going forward, I’d like to suggest that every Democratic presidential ticket include a public school teacher. It seems pretty obvious to me that they would make ideal leaders. At the AFSCME convention, Walz also called Trump a scab for supporting right-to-work legislation and defended himself against accusations from JD Vance that he lied about his military history. I’m excited to hear more from Walz as he continues to show his mettle on the campaign trail.
• Speaking of Tim Walz (whose name is pronounced “walls,” not “waltz”) and his presidential candidate, Kamala Harris… America’s top grammarians have some tips for journalists and grammar nerds during this national election cycle. I realize this is very self-serving, but I mentioned it in last week’s Good Morning, News post, so I wanted to bring you all up to speed. OBVIOUSLY we’re supposed to add the “s” after Harris and Walz, even though their last names end in “S.” But it also kind of doesn’t matter. One interesting thing I learned from the AP article linked above? To date, there have only been three U.S. presidents with last names that end in “S.” If Harris wins in November, she’ll be the first since Rutherford B. Hayes, who was elected in 1876. WTF??! Do Americans have any problem with last names that end in S??? Say it to my face, people! (I never thought I’d be so protective of the members of my community whose last name ends in S. Looking for a better name for this group if anyone has any ideas.)
• And finally… do you need duck therapy? I definitely do. Have fun and happy Wednesday!
