Alex Zielinski

Update:

The ICE bldg owner has not appealed the Feb. 13 land use ruling. (His deadline to appeal was the 23rd). That means fines will likely begin accruing next month.

Portland can fine ICE building owner $5,000 each time federal officials deploy chemical munitions Portland can begin levying fines against the owner of the South Portland U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building each time its tenants release chemical munitions into the neighborhood.

The fines went into effect at 3 p.m., two hours before a planned anti-ICE rally at a park near the ICE building. 👀

(For the many who've asked me: The rule will not be enforced retroactively, even though the policy went into effect on Jan. 1.)

Multnomah County elections office needs more money, staff, new building, audit finds An audit released Thursday finds the county’s Election Division needs more funding for voter education programs, is falling short on supporting employees, and may need a new office – among other conce...

An audit released Thursday finds the county’s Election Division needs more funding for voter education programs, is falling short on supporting employees, and may need a new office – among other concerns.

The audit comes 8 months before Multnomah County holds its first ranked-choice election.

Completely my mistake, fixed! Thanks so much.

Portland advances antidiscrimination protections for polyamorous families Portland is poised to be the largest U.S. city to allow polyamorous families to sue over discrimination.

Portland is poised to be the largest U.S. city to allow polyamorous families to sue over discrimination.

Armed ICE officer in Portland called 911 during confrontation: ‘I’m going to have to shoot this kid’ Dispatch records and a police report obtained by OPB describe the previously unreported incident last fall.

“I need someone here now, or else I’m going to have to shoot this kid,” an ICE officer told a Portland police dispatcher in late October, when he realized his vehicle was being tailed by someone on a motorized bike.

As ICE looks to expand detention facilities, several Western Washington cities consider bans City councils in Seattle, Burien, Renton, and Tukwila are considering temporary bans on issuing permits for detention facilities.

City councils in Seattle, Burien, Renton, and Tukwila are considering temporary bans on issuing permits for detention facilities.

Portland Councilor Loretta Smith reverses plan to introduce open carry policy Portland City Councilor Loretta Smith has rescinded a proposal that would have allowed city councilors to openly carry a firearm while conducting city business.

ICYMI: Councilor Smith has reversed course on her proposal to allow city councilors to open carry firearms -- 24 hours after first submitting it.

Portland Councilor Loretta Smith reverses plan to introduce open carry policy Portland City Councilor Loretta Smith has rescinded a proposal that would have allowed city councilors to openly carry a firearm while conducting city business.

ICYMI: Councilor Smith has reversed course on her proposal to allow city councilors to open carry firearms -- 24 hours after first submitting it.

Multnomah County proposes closing 675 shelter beds to account for looming homeless services cuts Seven shelters could close entirely, one would have fewer county-funded beds and several motel voucher programs would end.

This week we learned that Mayor Wilson's shelter plan has plunged Portland deeper into a budget crisis. Meanwhile, at the county level, budget cuts could shutter nearly 700 shelter beds.

Updated after speaking to the woman who Smith says made her feel unsafe.

“I didn’t have a weapon, I didn’t hit anyone," she tells me. "Why am I now being threatened with violence?”

Loretta Smith calls for open carry for Portland city councilors following latest protest The District 1 councilor said a Wednesday protest that ended in four arrests is the latest action at council meetings that has herself and her colleagues fearing for their safety.

After protesters interrupted a Portland council meeting Wednesday, one councilor is looking to loosen the city’s rules around carrying guns in City Hall.

Portland councilors again delay decision on unspent housing dollars A majority of the councilors said they needed more information on the newly identified pots of cash, each with its own rules on spending, rather than rushing the decision.

Portland city councilors again punted a months-long debate on how to spend unspent housing dollars. The debate divided the city’s District 1 councilors.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. And that’s exactly what we’re doing," said Councilor Smith.

Portland is facing a $169 million budget deficit due to shelter and public safety costs The projected financial shortfall in the coming fiscal year reflects the city’s reliance on temporary cash.

A reliance on one-time funds to prop up shelter, public safety costs has Portland in deeper budget trouble than anticipated.

Portland wins land use decision over Bull Run filtration plan The ruling by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals favors Portland's plans to build a plant to filter water from the forested watershed.

Portland’s $2.1 billion water filtration project got the go-ahead from a state land use court — another victory for the city in a yearslong legal fight with nearby landowners.

Coming to Portland next week:

Portland upholds land use violation against ICE facility’s landlord Portland officials will continue to seek penalties against the owner of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building for violating a land use agreement.

Portland isn't changing course on carrying out its land use violation against the ICE building.

Inside Portland’s $1.7B climate fund, which is being floated to help fix the Moda Center Portland’s billion dollar climate fund is being eyed to help pay for upgrades to the Moda Center, in an effort to keep the Trail Blazers in the city.

City and state officials have vowed to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland, but to do that they need to raise more than a half a billion dollars to renovate the nearly 30-year-old Moda Center. Portland's mayor has suggested a solution: tapping into the city's climate fund.

Nonprofit says Portland’s Leach Botanical Garden will close in March without additional funding The 17-acre public park in outer southeast Portland is part of a coalition that provides environmental education to Black and brown children and teenagers.

The 17-acre Leach Botanical Garden in far southeast Portland says it will close if it doesn't get more funding soon. The public park is owned by the city, but managed by a nonprofit. The city hasn't provided funding since last year.
www.opb.org/article/2026...

Nonprofit says Portland’s Leach Botanical Garden will close in March without additional funding The 17-acre public park in outer southeast Portland is part of a coalition that provides environmental education to Black and brown children and teenagers.

A sprawling park in outer southeast Portland is on the brink of closure if it doesn’t get more funding soon, according to an online plea posted by the Leach Botanical Garden on Tuesday.

Petition to carve "This is not a venue for belligerent behavior" in the marble walls of council chambers.

A Public Airing of Grievances The Council President will request an "Airing of Grievances" to be heard at the Committee of the Whole with a to-be-determined frequency. Councilors are not obligated to attend, but are welcome to bring constructive feedback, ideas, requests, or other collegial-but-direct subjects directed to the Council President, Vice President, or for the entire body. This is not a venue for belligerent behavior, or public admonishment of an individual councilor for their personal or political disagreements. This is a public venue to discuss concerns of the body before they become problems.

Portland Council President Dunphy has released a draft plan for new council committees/leadership this year. For those who were closely following the council president’s vote, you may be interested to see this is part of the plan:

I Had a Dream Journalism Job. Here's Why I Quit. The rot that hollowed out trust in corporate media finally reached OPB. I had to go.

This is easily the hardest thing I've ever had to write.

Multnomah Commissioner Brim-Edwards joins county chair race Brim-Edwards is the second commissioner to announce her candidacy for Multnomah County chair. District 2 Commissioner Shannon Singleton announced her run last week.

The number of candidates for Multnomah County chair has doubled:

Where is the lie:

"It’s worth saying that people in Portland love art, people in Portland love kids, and everybody hates the arts tax," says @councilordunphy.bsky.social (who wants to overhaul the tax).

How Portland’s arts tax let $9M go unused for years As Portlanders gear up to once again pay their arts tax by April 15, even supporters say the voter-approved charge needs an overhaul.

While we're talking about surprise buckets of city funds: The Portland arts tax has been sitting on roughly $9 million in unallocated dollars for years.

Portland now says roughly $106M in housing funds went unspent The city continues to struggle to address homelessness and affordable housing, but officials say significant pots of money went untapped.

What we know for now:

City of Portland now reports $106 MILLION total in unbudgeted housing funds. More soon.

“The incident was a reminder of their past in Yemen, she said.

The pair moved from Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, shortly after their home was hit by an airstrike in 2014.”

NOOOOOOOOO ughhhhh