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#Landscape of Portland Downtown
29kindsofrain · 1 year
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PDX: winter morning on the Willamette River at the Hawthorne Bridge, looking downtown.  Sometimes the city is just brilliant…
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seymour-butz-stuff · 7 months
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One of Fox News’ most resilient claims has been that liberal cities in America have crumbled into hellscapes. Post-apocalyptic downtowns where crime runs rampant; entire cities that are now no-go zones under “sharia law”; restaurants with signs in languages other than English. Any devoted Fox News watcher surely believes that cities like Portland have been burned to the ground half a dozen times in the past two decades. The latest version comes to us via Media Matters' Kat Abu, and it appears Fox News made the poor decision to actually visit one of these so-called hellscapes—Seattle, in this case—and film it. Bad, bad idea. Judge Box Wine (aka host Jeanine Pirro) kicks off the segment, saying that Fox News sent a correspondent “to the progressive hellscape, where residents mocked the idea that the city is spiraling out of control.” What follows is their correspondent, “Johnny,” wandering through lush green landscapes as he accosts random Seattleites who tell him, "I've never seen any crime in Seattle," and, "I've never heard of anyone getting robbed," and, "Crime is a social issue that could be solved by giving people their basic needs"—all while the Fox News chyron screams, “RESIDENTS IN BLUE CITIES ARE EMBRACING THE DECAY.” JOHNNY: I saw a lot of people shooting up on my way down here. GREEN JACKET LADY: Oh, did you? Okay. And they were bothering you? JOHNNY: I was in a car, but you know, people— GREEN JACKET LADY: Oh no, you were in a car! Oh no, they were hurting you so bad! Oh nooo.
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Awarded PAFA's 1903 Sesnan Gold Medal
Keeping this facet in thoughts, there may be an possibility of transferring reserves into IRA Gold Investment or in different phrases endeavor gold rollover that has proved to be a reliable and regular funding option for each and everybody. While the park is named Keller Fountain Park, the fountain itself is named Ira Keller Fountain. Named after Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the classical music-themed coffeehouse serves espresso and desserts, working from the former living room of a reportedly haunted 1902 Craftsman-style house. PCS has acquired positive commentary in regional guidebooks including Greatest Locations Northwest, Greatest Places Portland, and Moon Handbooks Oregon. Petersen Rock Garden, formerly Petersen's Rock Garden and also identified because the Petersen Rock Gardens, is a rock garden and museum on 4 acres (1.6 ha), located between the cities of Bend and Redmond in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. There are over 200 academic degree applications offered by the university. gold ira investment provided US$10,000 to anyone who may show he had made the speech; it was never claimed.
Former strippers include Courtney Love and Christine Jorgensen, though the membership is understood for that includes long-term dancers who're loyal to the family enterprise. It lasted till the middle to late nineteenth century. Though nature reserves cowl much of the upper and middle components of the watershed, industrial sites dominate the decrease half. The mountain itself has earned the nickname "the lightning rod of the Cascades." Diamond Lake lies to the west of Mount Thielsen and past lies Mount Bailey, a much much less eroded and youthful stratovolcano. Mount Thielsen, or Huge Cowhorn is an extinct shield volcano in southern Oregon that has been so deeply eroded by glaciers that there isn't any summit crater and the upper a part of the mountain is roughly a horn. The highway travels by means of rural Walla Walla County and ends at an intersection with US 12 south of Wallula.
In 1995, town of Portland's Bureau of Planning launched the "Adopted Woodstock Neighborhood Plan", which included a policy to improve the department and its providers. Their efforts led to the creation of a municipal park fee that in 1903 hired the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural agency to develop a plan for Portland's parks. It constructed its first constructing on Portland Road in 1952, and occupied its present LEED-compliant services in 2008. In the early nineteen nineties conflict between feminist and traditional members led to the latter leaving Beth Israel, and forming the Orthodox Congregation Ahavas Torah. Pod is the name of a 2002 modern sculpture by American artist Pete Beeman, at present installed at Southwest tenth Avenue and West Burnside Street in downtown Portland, Oregon. Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, E-book 1 is a 2011 children's fantasy novel by American singer-songwriter Colin Meloy, illustrated by his wife Carson Ellis. The live performances and album received favorable evaluations; the recording debuted at quantity 31 on Billboard's Classical Albums chart, and made a number of lists of the perfect classical recordings of 2011. The album earned three recognitions from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for the 2013 Grammy Awards.
A 2013 estimate placed the metropolitan inhabitants at 400,408, the state's second-largest. The Arts Council of Lake Oswego started soliciting donations in 2013 in an try to keep the sculpture as part of the town's permanent public art assortment, Gallery With out Walls. An try and recriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis was turned down by Oregon voters in 1997. From 1999 by way of 2005, the ratio of Oregonians using cannabis outpaced the overall United States inhabitants by 32-45%. In 2003-2004, Oregon ranked amongst the highest five states for cannabis usage of individuals 12 and older. The venue was given its present identify during the 1991 ownership switch in an try and disassociate from Hurwitz's enterprise and reputation. The library was demolished in January 1999. The current 7,500-sq.-foot (seven hundred m2) Woodstock Library constructing was completed in 2000. It has a "lantern-like" high quality and has acquired multiple awards for its design.
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bwponyportland · 4 months
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Best Western Pony Soldier Inn - Airport
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Welcome to Best Western Pony Soldier Inn - Airport is a short drive from the beautiful landscaping of The Grotto. Book stay at Hotel in Portland, Oregon for comfort in a convenient location. We’re close to major freeways and the airport, so catching early morning flights or day trips around the Great Northwest are both possible. We're known for our stellar customer service, and the outdoor seasonal pool and year-round hot tub are perfect for relaxing. However, make sure you start every morning right with a full, free hot breakfast featuring waffles, fruits, cereal and 100% Arabica coffee.
Our location, just two miles from the airport, makes us an easy choice for frequent flyers. Our Portland hotel is a short drive from the beautiful landscaping of The Grotto, and boating on the Columbia River is a real treat. Whether you’re in town for the legendary Rose Festival or touring the Columbia River Gorge, the location of our property makes it easy to get around the region
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findinghopepdx · 6 months
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Blog Deliverable #4
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An overwhelming amount of Portlanders can agree that the mental health landscape of the city is in disarray. It’s evident that many Portlanders experiencing homelessness are suffering- facing addiction, overdoses, and mental health emergencies by the hour. How has policy affected this ongoing crisis? This is the question largely contested and hotly debated by news sources in the Portland area. In this post, we will be reviewing two vastly different takes on the issue. 
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CBN News
Christian Broadcasting Network is a Pro-Trump administration broadcasting network which utilizes media evangelism to promote conservative activism (Isabella Burton, 2017). Visiting Portland, the network commented on the crises in the city in an article written by Dale Hurd (2023), criticizing Measure 110, an Oregon bill that decriminalizes most drugs with intention to reallocate funds from marijuana tax sales toward addiction and recovery services. The article states, “Things got worse for the city when Oregon voters approved Measure 110. It decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, making it a health care issue, not a crime. Police officials say it’s led to a huge increase in the amount of drugs on the streets, followed by a surge in crime” (Hurd, 2023). The article reviews surveys from business owners who report high levels of vandalism, and who are mostly moving out of the downtown area entirely. Pivoting away from drug use, Hurd remarks on the looser laws that exist in Portland around car theft, claiming it has encouraged more people to commit auto-theft. CBN predominantly blames progressive policy for the issue, concluding, “Critics call Portland the poster child for what happens when progressive policy goes too far” ​​(Hurd, 2023). While CBN does accurately display the severity of the issue, there is dispute on the cause.
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StreetRoots
Jeremiah Hayden from StreetRoots disagrees that Measure 110 is to blame for the increase of crime and drug-use on the streets, and uses research to back his claims. StreetRoots is a nonprofit organization which publishes a newspaper weekly, covering topics related to social and environmental justice issues (StreetRoots, 2023). The newspaper is written by a blend of professional journalists, community members, and speakers from social justice oriented organizations. StreetRoots creates income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty by relying on them as their main vendors (StreetRoots, 2023). 
In an article titled “Measure 110 shows early successes despite backlash,” Jeremiah Hayden (2023), shares advice from health experts that recommend that Oregon should continue the practice of drug decriminalization and increase the availability drug treatment programs. He explains that while drug usage has risen consistently over the past decade in the entire United States, there is no evidence linking the implementation of Measure 110 to an increase in addictions or overdoses in Oregon. When Measure 110 was first implemented in 2021, the rate at which drugs were decriminalized did not match the rate at which funds were distributed for addiction and recovery services. Only late last year were funds available to create and improve treatment infrastructure. Once funds were available for use, great progress has been made in connecting addicts with recovery resources (Hayden, 2023). One flourishing example of Measure 110 at work is the Oregon Change Clinic, an outpatient treatment facility working with veterans and POC. The treatment outcomes for the clinic were incredibly low before they were given funding for housing, commented Shannon Jones, co-founder and CEO. She added that people in the program would sleep in the parking lot, waiting for the clinic to open in hopes for a meal. “People needed a place to live.” In September 2022, the clinic recieved funding to take over the 6th Avenue Motel and carry out renovations. The clinic is now currently providing intensive outpatient treatment with housing for people in a 6 month program. Measure 110 prioritizes grants for community-based service programs like Oregon Care Clinic. Despite the slow initial progress, Measure 110 has still seen great early success. Since the law started in 2021, Measure 110 has narrowed the gap on raical disparities in drug possession arrests, decreasing the disproportionate number of Black Oregonians arrested for drug possesssion by 77%. Moreover, the International Journal for Drug Policy report concluded that “These results suggest that shifting from an approach that prioritizes arresting individuals for possession of small amounts of drugs to one that replaces criminal arrests with non-criminal citations (Oregon) or requires prioritization of health-focused responses (Washington) significantly reduced drug possession arrests and did not increase arrests for crime overall or for violent crimes.” Throughout Hayden’s article (2023), he presents research supportive of this claim that Measure 110 has make positive change in the city. 
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As highlighted by CBN, it’s true that many Portlanders do feel unsafe in their city (Hurd, 2023). However, data does indicate that crime has not seen an increase after the passing of Measure 110, and has instead yielded success in getting people off of the streets and into treatment facilities (Hayden, 2023). The argument between whether drug use should be treated as a mental health issue or a criminal activity is increasingly relevant as a long-term solution seeks to be found. 
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References
Hayden, J. (2023, October 25). Measure 110 shows early successes despite backlash. Www.streetroots.org. https://www.streetroots.org/news/2023/10/25/measure-110-shows-early-successes-despite-backlash
Hurd, D. (2023, April 6). Portland’s Meltdown: A Progressive Experiment That “Has Gone Colossally Bad.” CBN. https://www2.cbn.com/news/us/portlands-meltdown-progressive-experiment-has-gone-colossally-bad
Isabella Burton, T. (2017, August 5). Understanding the Christian Broadcasting Network, the force behind the latest pro-Trump TV newscast. Vox.com. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwifnvODpKaCAxXHHjQIHYy0DyIQFnoECA8QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fidentities%2F2017%2F8%2F5%2F16091740%2Fchristian-broadcasting-network-cbn-pat-robertson-trump&usg=AOvVaw0U9ab7auTazlQfzJ8f8qCO&opi=89978449
StreetRoots. (2023). About. Www.streetroots.org. https://www.streetroots.org/about
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usstatesguide · 9 months
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welcometomy20s · 1 year
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March 18, 2023
One of the common threads that I perceive in the three major cities in the PNW is how they refuse to be a city. I think compared to many cities like New York or Chicago, there is a distinct suburban feel in those three cities, especially in Seattle. I mean, there is a reason Seattle is the birthplace of the modern American mall, the quintessential suburban landmark.
While PNW prides itself on being this liberal place, there is a hidden conservatism in Seattle that many people are surprised by. Seattle and especially Portland benefit from the seedy and incredibly racist past but put a glossy diversity mural on top, celebrating diversity but ignoring the various deepening disparity that makes the place uneven and jagged.
Seattle famously passed on building their metro network, which the federal funds were eventually given to Atlanta. Atlanta is a good counterpart to Seattle. Atlanta seems to be proud of its city nature, it is The City of The South. There are major metropolitan areas in Florida and Texas, but those two states have distinctively different flavors than the South, and places like Nashville and Birmingham feel a bit too small to be called a true city. 
Atlanta has always been a city though, and Atlanta has been an example of bringing The South away from its despicable past. Just look at the Donald Glover series of the same name. Its surreal depiction of racial and other civil struggles of the town depicts the city as a city grappling with its past and moving on. This is why the South has been the leader on integration despite their segregated past, because the people of the South felt a need to remedy their past.
Meanwhile the Pacific Northwest is oddly overrepresented in media, partially because of the major film incentives in Vancouver, but because like how Los Angeles advertised filmmakers because of their diverse physical landscape, PNW has a diversity of manmade landscape, you can go from a rural ‘railroad’ town to picket-fence suburbs to major bustling skyscrapers in the space of a hour’s drive. It’s diverse enough to feel liberal, but crucially it feels to appeal to ‘American’ sensibilities. While there are times where racial (especially Native American) struggle is depicted in stories set in the PNW, it is very much dressing more than anything.
This is the reason that Seattle rejected the metro and since only made halfhearted efforts to truly ‘urbanize’ their massively growing cities. Recently, I went on what became a representative jaunt through the city of Seattle, starting from West Seattle, riding the newest RapidRide bus, which goes from Burien to Downtown through Deldrige. The bus route wasn’t really completed yet, especially places beyond Seattle, and half-finished efforts of turning the stroads that the new RapidRide travels on was lugubrious in the face of their seeming ambitions.
I took the bus all the way up to lower parts of Belltown and headed east to visit the newest addition to what was the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, now simply called Seattle Convention Center with the original part calling itself The Arch and the new part, The Summit, the unintentionally menacing monikers so familiar in the tech world.
I did not realize how big The Summit was. I thought it was an annex, but the size of The Summit might rival the original center. The building, perhaps added by the fact that parts were unfinished, adhered to the postmodernism that quietly dominates the city, the most famous example being the Seattle Art Museum. While the original attempts in the 70’s and 80’s felt whimsical in their juxtaposition, the exposed pipes and the oddly open structures of The Summit exuded more of carelessness than whimsy. As I went around the building, because I could only peek into the halls, I felt a sense of abandonment and annoyance at this absurdity.
At the entrance, there is a traditional PNW welcoming statue, similar to what I saw in the Burke Museum, but while there the statue seems to do its job of welcoming yet imposing the traveler, this incarnation almost felt pitiful compared to the huge building it is supposed to welcome. There was almost a feeling of mockery at the statue, a nod of disregard compared to the bright-faced but hastily made future the building desperately wants to show you.
So, I went through the original building, The Arch, aptly named as the arch theme is quite prevalent in the building complex, unlike The Summit, The Arch is usually open to the public, because it’s one of the best way to go pass the I-5 that blitzes through downtown, and on a whim, I took a gander at The Spheres, Amazon’s attempt at a public building.
Fortunately, I happened to come across the place during one of two days of the month where it was open to the public, only through reservations however, and therefore it had more people than it would have otherwise. The Spheres with its unabashedly rude bulging design which made many commenter crudely call the place the Balls of Seattle and the fact there is a large gentleman’s club right nearby does not help the association also give comparison to the other maligned landmark in Seattle, the EMP, with similar irrelevant curves and some disregard for the practicalities of the building, although The Sphere takes the cake from my observation.
One thing I was surprised about The Spheres is how small it was. The plants barely fit the bulging glass terrarium, the walkway awkwardly wraps around the exhibits, perhaps echoing the minimalism and efficiency Amazon is known for, and honestly I expected something better.
The Sphere is best experienced as a distressingly large sculpture than a building, an alarmingly common approach to public spaces these days. But unlike large sculptures, which use their size to convey its meaning, the size is counteracted by, well, what I said above. It has hints of various things - a public space, a greenhouse, a terrarium, an art piece, a statement - but the parts work against each other to produce a sense of being unwarranted, which a general feel I get for most Amazon-related projects, so I guess it’s in line with that.
I headed to take my bus home, which is a good example of the dichotomy of modern building practices in the last forty years. Rainier Building was built in 1977, designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who famously designed the original Twin Towers, and it is one of the unique buildings in Seattle, due to an inverted pedestal that flares out to the main building. It’s an affront to the idea of gravity, much like the most famous structure in Seattle, and its whimsy is welcomed especially compared to the new building next door Rainier Square Building.
Rainier Square Building is one of the latest offerings in Seattle, the second tallest in the city after Columbia Tower, its structure is remarkable in an unsightly way. In a way reminiscent of many highrises in London, it’s sloped to one side, curving upwards to meet the top, although it’s not a smooth curve, but jagged, perhaps make sure you don’t burn any bird or something. In London there are ‘practical’ reason for the slopes, to preserve the waylines (although I suspect it has become more of an excuse, which I welcome), but there is no such reason to build such slope here, there is no whimsy like the building next to it, but just sheer garishness.
Both are in the University District, by the way, because that’s where University of Washington once was, and they still own the land around here, which means they are the landlords of one of the most prime real estates in the city, which doesn’t corrupt their mission to educate… probably. Odd ownerships and history of various parts of the city is one of myriad headaches in redeveloping this part of the world, something that I kept in mind as I headed to the International District and King Street Station, some day before my journey above.
In the myriad of odd and bizarre metro decision in the city, the city council is trying to rectify the mistake of building their downtown tunnel off of the current center by building a second tunnel, with an interchange at Westlake, which is already crowded, and supposedly at International District, but it has seemingly decided to renege on this idea in favor of two stations.
International District has all the making of a transit hub, there is a tram, half-hearted mea culpa to the fact that they couldn’t make a First Hill Light Rail station, the aforementioned light rail, and King Street Station, which serves barely functional commuter lines, regional and long-distance Amtrak lines. You would think that the light rail, which connects downtown to the airport by an absurdly long walkway, has direct access to the train station, but no, you actually need to cross the wide 4th street in order to get across to the train station. So, no hub here.
Perhaps a tunnel that goes under 4th street that would utilize the barely-used Union Station and would provide direct access to both King Street and Link Light Rail would be a good idea, but apparently it has been an uphill battle, mostly since the place is in Chinatown, whose skepticism naturally comes from the fact people have been blasting their livelihood to have cars wheeze by them, although this time it would be akin to an abuser gaslighting the abused by relating the discomfort of getting a better life to the pain the perpetrator than given to the victim.
Indeed, the council has a knack of disappointing good ideas, like the Alaskan Way, once the elevated monstrosity, now a non-elevated one. People fretted if the Viaduct was to be replaced on-street or drilled out and they settled on ‘Why not both?’, which merely brought the traffic one story down from where it used to be, and not made the waterfront any better.
This is the Seattle that came to be. I was glad that I visited San Francisco in 2005, before the tech boom utterly trashed the city. I had fond memories that likely can never be repeated, but somehow I found myself in a similar story in a different city. Seattle was a different place in ‘09, when I first arrived here. It was a more friendly place, it felt more like a place, rather than a hunk of asphalt and concrete which we subside. The suburban feeling that residents desperately want to retain despite the growing nature of the city makes many neighborhoods dilapidated and barren, even though it must be full of people. Back in ‘09, I felt glad that I lived in Seattle, now I just want to get out of here, just be anywhere else. Perhaps it’s my personal disposition, but Seattle has overstayed its immoral advantages and has no intention to mend.
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brandonchamberspdx · 1 year
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Real Estate Investing in Oregon: Brandon Chambers’ Guide
If you're looking to invest in real estate in the Pacific Northwest, then Oregon is a great place to start. With cities like Portland and Eugene growing in popularity, the state is experiencing a surge in real estate development and investment opportunities. And if you want to learn from the best, look no further than Brandon Chambers, a leading real estate investor and expert in the Oregon market.
Brandon Chambers is a well-known figure in the Oregon real estate community, known for his expertise in investing in both residential and commercial properties. He has made a name for himself by helping investors make smart, profitable decisions in the ever-changing market. In this article, we'll take a look at why Oregon, and particularly the cities of Portland and Eugene, is such a great place to invest in real estate, and what Brandon Chambers can teach us about making the most of these opportunities.
Why Invest in Oregon Real Estate?
The first thing to understand about Oregon is that it is a growing market with a strong economy. The state has a thriving tech industry, a thriving tourism industry, and a growing population. As more people move to the state, there is a growing demand for housing, which means that real estate prices are likely to rise in the coming years.
In addition to its strong economy, Oregon also offers a great quality of life. The state is known for its natural beauty, with scenic landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities, as well as its vibrant arts and cultural scene. This, in turn, attracts more people to the state, which drives up demand for housing.
When it comes to specific cities, Portland and Eugene are two of the hottest real estate markets in Oregon. Portland is the largest city in the state, with a thriving downtown area and a growing tech industry. It is also a hub for creative professionals, with a thriving arts and culture scene that includes everything from independent theaters to microbreweries.
Eugene, on the other hand, is a smaller city located in the Willamette Valley, known for its outdoor recreation opportunities, scenic beauty, and progressive culture. The city is home to the University of Oregon, which has a strong impact on the local economy, and is also a popular destination for tourists who are drawn to the city's natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
Investing in Residential Properties in Oregon
Brandon Chambers is a big believer in the potential of residential real estate in Oregon. According to him, the state's growing population, strong economy, and high quality of life make it a great place to invest in residential properties. He also notes that, while the real estate market in Oregon is competitive, there are still opportunities for investors to find good deals, especially if they know where to look.
One of the keys to success in the Oregon residential real estate market is to understand the local market. According to Brandon, it is important to know which neighborhoods are popular, what the average home prices are, and what the rental market is like. This information will help you make informed decisions about where to invest and what kind of properties to target.
Another key to success in the Oregon residential real estate market is to focus on properties that offer good returns. This may mean investing in properties that are in need of some TLC, as these may offer the best return on investment. It may also mean investing in multi-unit properties, such as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, as these can generate higher rental income.
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Thanks, Sony.
The day was February 2nd, 2019. A Saturday to be precise.
This was the day I had planned to drive down to Portland to a small little photography store, called Pro Photo Supply; a hole in the wall sort of shop, right in the heart of downtown Portland, on the west side on the Willamette River.
Why was I driving down there? To purchase the camera I had saved months for. It was the legendary, mighty, highly acclaimed by nearly every YouTuber I watched, Sony Alpha 7 Mark III.
Or as the kids say, the Sony a7iii.
Packing a punch with a full frame 24 megapixel sensor, the camera featured 4K video with leading class autofocus, in body image stabilization, battery life that lasted as long as traditional DSLRs, and a price that shredded the competition: a simple $2000 for the body alone. An absolute bargain.
Now to the uneducated, that might seem like a pretty penny for a camera. Oh but hold on now, for a photographer, that price with the smorgasbord of specs to boot is like pocket change; virtually unheard of. Which of course is why is gained the seemingly endless accolades of every photographer on YouTube. So of course, me being a mere APS-C Canon DSLR user, wanted in on the action. After months of saving up and doing all the research to ensure THIS was the camera I wanted (and believe me, competition can be fierce!), the week finally came that I went to credit union, withdrew the money I needed, and on that Saturday drove down with some friends from church to purchase the camera.
I had called ahead to put it on hold so that I would actually ensure I would own the camera that day, barring that nothing would hinder me from getting there. The day was cold, moody with the rain and the fog that is typical of a Pacific Northwest winter. Dodging the mess of traffic that always inhabits downtown Portland, we swung into the the tight parking lot and strutted into the building like we owned the joint.
Okay, maybe not exactly like that. But needless to say, I was so excited to walk into the store with an envelope full of money to exchange for this glorious piece of hardware. Months of daydreaming and researching and talking about it only hyped the day up for me more, and today was finally that day. A half hour later, we walked out of the store with a camera and some other goodies alongside. We decided to drive up to Pittock Acres Park and take some photos.
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My, four years can go by quite quickly.
I've always said that my Sony a7iii is the best $2000 I've ever spent. It is in all honesty a nearly perfect camera. It has aged incredibly well in the five years since it came out. Never once has it truly failed me. It's a reliable, compact, amazing camera that has been a source of joy for four years. I've shot a handful weddings on it, photographed family photos and senior portraits, made some incredible B-roll with its beautiful 120fps video, and I've photographed some breathtaking landscapes.
While this sounds like a sort of memoir that ends with "And now I'm moving on from this camera", it is by no means that at all. Nope. This is merely a thankfulness post that I've had the privilege of owning a truly remarkable camera. I will eventually upgrade to a newer Sony camera (probably the a7V when it gets released in a couple years), but now isn't that time.
Photography has been a season in my life of sorts. Back when I bought that camera, photography was a huge part of my life. I was always bringing my camera everywhere so that I would never miss a shot. Over the years, life has become much busier. Finding time to sometimes obsessively photograph things has been put on the back burner of life, with much more important and wonderful things coming to the front. And you know what, that's okay. But I also want to take the time to photograph more things and to experience the wonderful feeling of taking a photograph you are truly proud of. It's all a balance of life, one that requires me to put first the things that are most important. Thank you Lord for those things I get to put first!
The Sony a7iii might not be the best technical camera anymore, but for me, it will always be one of the best cameras of all time... because it allowed me to grow into the photographer and filmmaker I am. It transformed my ability to create beautiful art.
And you know, that's the best kind of camera; the one that doesn't hold you back from creating what you love. Thanks, Sony.
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terrantravels · 1 year
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Details About Portland City Tour and Multnomah Falls
Portland has a wealth of great attractions such as Portland gardens, Portland parks, shopping, museums, theater, live music, and other fun activities that your whole family will enjoy. If you're a foodie, then you'll love dining at one of Portland's great restaurants. And, we are known for our beer, and our coffee cultures! So, visiting a local Portland brewery and coffee shop is always a great option. The Portland city tour will let you explore the best features of this city.
The Portland Japanese Garden is a stunning masterpiece, offering incredible views of downtown Portland and Mt. Hood. The Japanese Garden features various styles of gardens that are beautiful year round. Travel agent Pacific Northwest will assist you to get the best locations that can perfect match your needs with appropriate manner.
The Portland Classical Chinese Garden is located in downtown Portland in the Old Town China Town neighborhood. This authentic Suzhou-style garden is simply breathtaking. Only the size of a city block, this garden packs in huge visual interest into a small space for everyone to enjoy.
Multnomah Falls
If you are nature lover then never skip the gorgeous Multnomah Falls. The great beauty of the falls and the surrounding area plays a huge part. However, the biggest reason is the accessibility of Multnomah Falls. Often waterfalls are located in remote and difficult to access areas. This is not the case with this Oregon attraction. Whether you stay in the city of Portland or you choose to opt for Mt Hood lodging, you will find these falls only a short drive away.
A visit to Multnomah Falls makes the perfect family trip. Young, old and everyone in between will be able to appreciate the stunning beauty of the falls and of the Oregon landscape. At its longest drop, water plummets more than 500 feet down. That is a big drop for a waterfall. Travel guide Multnomah Falls will help you to explore the best features of this fall and let you find a long footbridge leading up to the falls. This bridge lets you truly experience the waterfall close up. Plus, it gives the perfect setting for some amazing pictures. You should also consider making the 1.2 mile hike to the top of the falls. While the waterfall is impressive from ground level, it is unbelievable from above.
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thewoonerffiets · 1 year
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How Can Cincinnati Learn from Paris & Chicago?
Paris - Rebuild buildings that match their surrounding context when you change the grid pattern necessitating the demolition of existing urban fabric. When you go to Paris today, you can barely tell that the roads that Haussmann laid out in 1850’s were added to an existing network of streets which necessitated huge amounts of destruction. Today in Cincinnati, you can tell immediately when a street was widened after the urban fabric had initially been formed. Some notable examples include Liberty Street through OTR and the West End, William Howard Taft Rd in Corryville and Walnut Hills, Martin Luther King Drive in Walnut Hills and Corryville, and Victory Parkway in Walnut Hills. Additionally, constructing buildings that fit in with the old urban fabric would be a great emulation of Haussmann’s Paris, but seeing as Cincinnati has barely constructed any new buildings on the new ROW’s which necessitated the destruction of the existing urban fabric, the first step would just be to construct buildings there in the first place.
Liberty St. disrupting the urban fabric of OTR:
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Martin Luther King Drive disrupting the urban fabric of Walnut Hills:
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A Haussmann Boulevard fitting in with the surrounding Urban Fabric in Paris:
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Cincinnati has a large amount of land west of the downtown that's purely dedicated to light industry, rail yards, and an interstate highway. A re-imagination of the area would benefit the city of Cincinnati greatly and said re-imagination is starting to take place with the Brent Spence project. This project will restore 10-30 acres from the interstate to the urban fabric of downtown Cincinnati.
What does the interchange look like now?
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What could the transformed interchange look like?
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However, the Queensgate rail yard and wastewater treatment plant have yet to have a plan in place to move them to more suitable areas, like Sharonville north of the city of Cincinnati proper. If you were able to move it all you could reclaim more than 1,500 acres of currently underutilized land.
The Queensgate Yard:
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These are the areas that could draw inspiration from Chicago more than any other area starting with the park system in Chicago. The original park planner in Chicago was a man named Olmsted who also designed Central Park in NYC. While we can't have him design park space in the city, we can draw inspiration and invest heavily in the park system in Cincinnati. Within this large land mass that we have now reconnected with the city, we also would have the opportunity to place a new grid down in the empty space not dedicated to the park. Chicago has a dedicated street grid with an alleyway in between that plays an integral part in the city. If Cincinnati could take inspiration from this and design the old like the new I believe we could have a more people-friendly street grid for people to exist in.
A great example of new development on underutilized land is the Portlands on the eastern side of Toronto Waterfront. The Portlands, like our proposed idea for the western side of the Cincinnati basin, have parkland incorporated into the urban landscape while also incorporating a river flowing through the area, just as the Mill Creek could in this new area of the basin.
Image of Final Plan for the Portlands:
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Aaron Earlywine, Rt Adkins, Dylan Gomez, James McDermott
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mildredpearce · 1 year
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Watch "Old Town Possession | From THIS Portland (FTP)" on YouTube
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circularsolutions · 1 year
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I went to Portland this weekend
I mostly liked the moss covering nearly everything. Washington Park was a highlight, full of trees overlooking the city, and a grid street system arranged both alphabetically and numerically helped me to immediately orient myself. The light rail cost $2.50 and transferred me between the airport and four blocks from where I stayed. All over, old homes are being replaced with medium density (4-6 story) multifamily complexes. The northwest neighborhoods are a pleasant mixture of new and old housing, shops, restaurants, and tree lined green streets speckled with parks. The city blocks are small and most of the area is easily walkable. 
What I did not enjoy included the drug induced homeless population and the massive highways that cut through the town and litter riverside views. With seven bridges connecting one side of the river to the other, I wonder what it would take to repurpose a few. One could be a dedicated pedestrian boardwalk running over the river. Two more would allow only public transit and light rail. There’s a highway running parallel to the water that should be replaced by a nature walk and a few cafes to provide a public space and entertainment while taming the constant noise that disturbs the peace of the riverside. Pollution to air and water would also be curbed, potentially opening up the river to swimming and other water based activities. In my vision, the upgraded waterfront is full of lively neighborhoods designed to both provide greenery, play areas, and infrastructure to protect against heavy rains or flooding. 
Walking around Portland shows there is no need for large highways cutting through the city. In fact, I see an opportunity for much of the concrete to be destructed and recycled, instead of developing the sprawling suburbs that pave over some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in this country. I wish to see urban investment that reinvigorates the dead parts of central downtown and attract more people to live within the city limits.
I would say that Portland has good bones, albeit many bruised spots. There are plenty of other aspects involved in building successful cities that are not outlined here. Though if I were to be in charge, I would begin with community led planning, well designed infill development, and robust volunteer restoration and clean up projects to jump start neighborhood resilience in the worst parts of town.
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One Day in Portland, Maine
Portland was smack dab in the middle of our drive from Boston to Acadia National Park, so we couldn’t miss it! It’s a cute, very small town, and we think it can easily be visited on a day trip (although we stayed overnight).
WHAT TO DO
Portland Museum of Art ($18 adults, free on Friday evenings, free for BoA cardholders on 1st weekend of each month). We spent an hour here and it was a nice (air conditioned!) space to walk around. There is some really nice Impressionist art (Sargent, Renoir, and others) and paintings by American landscape painters (Thomas Moran, Frederic Edwin Church, Winslow Homer, etc.). We also found the surrealist art pretty interesting (Picasso, Rene Magritte, Max Ernst, others). Would we pay $18 to visit? Maybe, because there wasn’t a whole lot else to do nearby. Note: There is lots of metered street parking in the area. Street parking is free on Sundays and on Monday - Saturday from 9p-6a, otherwise there is a 2 hour limit.
Walk around Old Town - This is the downtown area of Portland. There are tons of places to eat and shop, and there is a waterfront area. It’s really cute and tiny.
Walk along the Eastern Promenade and explore the East End - The Eastern Promenade seems to consist of a few parallel walking trails along the water. If you’re in Portland and want to take a walk, it’s nice, but we wouldn’t necessarily go out of our way for it.
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View over the Eastern Promenade
For a long-ish walk to explore Portland, we enjoyed starting in Old Town, picking up the Eastern Promenade at Franklin & Commercial St, passing by Fort Allen Park and East End Beach, and getting off the trail by the Eastern Promenade public tennis courts, from where we walked up to Eastern Promenade Street & Walnut Street. We took Walnut Street to Washington St, where we then walked south past a bunch of shops and breweries. We turned off Washington St. onto Congress St, where we stopped by the Portland Food Co-Op to pick up some food, and then walked back to our hotel in Old Town.
Portland is so tiny that we were able to do that whole walk in 60-90 mins!
Eat - A lot was closed for the July 4th holiday, but we loved the vegetarian food at Crunchy Poke, which was affordable, delicious, and full of protein. We had also hoped to try Green Elephant for Asian vegetarian food, and we found lots of other vegetarian-friendly places on Google Maps. 
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Delicious inari bowl at Crunchy Poke
Drink - We passed loads of breweries on our walk around Portland. We really enjoyed sitting down for a beer and a snack at Novare Res Bier Cafe, which has a patio with shaded picnic benches and a very relaxed vibe. The large patio was almost full when we stopped by on Sunday afternoon (while the streets were so empty that Portland seemed like a ghost town!)
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“Tofu chorizo” vegan tacos at Novare Res Bier. Be sure to get the “Tea Report” beer with hints of cardamom, it was delicious!
Sleep - We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Portland Downtown. It was centrally located, clean, and comfortable. 
Visit Old Orchard Beach - This is a Coney Island-like amusement park area along a beach that is a 20-25 min drive south of Portland. We met up with friends there to see their July 4th fireworks and ride the ferris wheel. It’s not our regular vibe, but it’s cute!
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Fireworks from the ferris wheel!
Check out the State Capitol in Augusta. Augusta was on the way down from Bar Harbor to Portland, and we enjoyed having a little picnic lunch at Augusta’s Capitol Park (opposite the state capitol building). 
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Bonus: If you’re looking for a road trip podcast, check out the Main Historical Society podcast. They have lots of episodes, and while we only had a chance to sample a few, we particularly enjoyed the one on the Portland Fire of 1886.
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napkinsauce4 · 2 years
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Rental Apartment Tips
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I didn't have choice but to try the other affordable apartments for rent on my list. I'd my eye on a role that was located on the perfect location and I already knew the property manager. I talked towards owner and asked for you to become put on the waiting list because current tenant was ready to get. I would by no means known how the apartment would be available if I hadn't networked with as well as family family. The landscape of Swindon is outlined by the hills of Wiltshire Downs to both south as well as the east. Negligence Swindon, which called the "Old Town", comprises of Purbeck and Portland stone, which were dug from Roman times around the first 20th millennium. The part of city that is famously called New Swindon consists mostly of Kimmeridge clay and bits of Corralian clay courts. Oxford clay makes from the associated with the beautiful Swindon. To to the scenic fantastic thing Swindon, The River Ray outlines city from the western door. Of course, that is determined the time. There are low, mid, high, and peak seasons for renting out apartments, hotels, and villas in South of spain. The low season starts in October and runs till the Christmas holidays starts. https://vnptvinaphone.net.vn/chuong-trinh-khuyen-mai-lap-mang-vnpt-ha-noi-thang-1-2021/ After January first they learn again and run until April. From then on it's the mid season follow through high season which leads to late June. The end of the peak season marks healthy of several season. Several season runs from late July up until beginning of September where it becomes the mid season again until Oct. If you planning on living deep in the of downtown or even near a large source of busy nightlife, you can forget about paying from the lower eliminate. While it is easy to find cheap studios and bedrooms during these areas, two bedrooms are pretty higher. Cleaning also becomes a lesser amount of a irritation. When you are renting a place, you would be smart to keep in your mind aspects like electricity usage, cleaning therefore forth. If you are renting a studio apartment, always be be such as cleaning a jumbo cabin. The 1167 Daisy Avenue Apartments offer you a one bedroom apartment for $900 plus two-bedroom apartment for $1,050. The apartments were originally built in 1964 and were remodeled in 2008. The apartments are garden-style and are usually several only 10 total accommodations. They are located one mile from downtown as well as the vnpt internet line for rent beaches. Rent is not an cheaper when playing fantasy baseball. We someone expect me furnish them both Giancarlo Stanton and Andrew McCutchen for any one month rental of Buster Posey. Look, Really like Buster Posey but Not able to pay that sort of renting. I'd rather sleep inside car.
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findinghopepdx · 6 months
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Blog Deliverable #3
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As illustrated in earlier posts, the mental health crisis in Portland has far-reaching consequences. Thousands of unhoused civilians are dying in the streets, there are dozens of fatal police encounters with people experiencing mental health crises, and exponential drug use are just some of the traumatic experiences occurring every day in the city of Portland.
One stakeholder in this issue are business owners who are concerned about the effect that people living on the streets will have on their businesses. Many businesses have completely moved out of Downtown Portland in hopes of improving their business in different locations (Dooris, 2023). Jessie Burke, co-owner of the Society Hotel, commented to the New York Times that violence in and around her hotel has led her to favoring treatment methods such as encampment removals and camping bans (Corkery, 2023). While many business owners, along with the city bureaucrats of Portland, believe that camp sweeps and camping bans are the solution to this problem (Zielinski, 2023), other main stakeholders in this issue hold different beliefs.
A New York Times article discussing the challenges of the fentanyl epidemic and homelessness crisis in Portland features Irida and Kaetly Wren, a couple from Tennessee who were shunned by family members for their gender identities. They were forced to sleep in their car and saw little hope for the future (Corkery, 2023). Hoping to find community and services, they drove over 2000 miles and relocated to Portland. While living on the streets, they discovered the issue of "infighting." People on the streets were paranoid that the fentanyl supply was limited, despite its massive availability. On April 18, a man cut through their tent and stabbed Irida six times. They planned to return to Tennessee, saying, "Portland is definitely not what I expected" (Corkery, 2023). Friends and family of addicts or recovering addicts in Portland, nonprofits and community organizations, and people experiencing homelessness themselves are voices that are critical in uncovering the truth behind this issue, and hopefully, a way to redemption and recovery.
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Interview
I was fortunate enough to receive a response to my interview request from Jason Renaud, the founder and convener of conferences for the Mental Health Association of Portland who also happens to be an alumnus of Portland State University. 
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What is your name and position at the Mental Health Association of Portland?
I'm Jason Renaud. I've been the convener of conferences for the Mental Health Association of Portland since 2003. 
What inspired you to pursue this line of work and this organization specifically?
I'm a person in long-term recovery and I've been about people who help people get sober and sane for most of my life. It's an intriguing problem on several levels; the complexity of the illnesses themselves, the social stigma that is extraordinarily strong among clinical professionals, the generations-long history of discrimination and oppression, the alcohol and drug industry's stalwart maintenance of the problem, lazy and stupid legislators - the list goes on. The problem is both political and personal, and oscillates back and forth rapidly.  The organization came about because other advocates in Oregon ceased advocacy work to pursue service contracts with local governments. 
Will you share your insights into the current landscape of mental health and substance abuse in Portland? What are some major challenges you’ve observed?
We don't use the term substance abuse; the term addiction is more accurate. Either measured nationally or internationally, Oregon's public addiction and mental illness service system is bare and fragile. It often requires skilled navigators to find access points, which may be long distances from where the individual lives.
How do you think mental health health and substance abuse issues impact homelessness in Portland?
We'll have over the winter about 10,000 people who are homeless and unsheltered - some briefly, some for the full duration. We have under 2,000 places for them to stay - which are all already filled. About 50%-60% are addicts, some in remission because of poverty. The remainder are almost all people with trauma disorders, intellectual disorders, personality disorders, and neurodivergent disorders. Homelessness is a natural consequence of not providing effective treatment for people who have these illnesses.
What are some key barriers that individuals who are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues face when seeking treatment?
The primary barrier is there is not sufficient or effective treatment for these illnesses available. We're short about 5000 skilled and licensed workers in Oregon. And because of a long-stalled workforce, there isn't likely to be sufficient or effective treatment in the next decade or so. The result, as it has been for decades before us with the same conditions, misery, and death.
Lastly, is there any advice you would offer to individuals looking to get involved in their community to make a positive impact?
Volunteer at St Francis Dining Hall or Blanchet House or with JOIN. If you do not have time to volunteer, write a check to any of the dozens of public mental health agencies.
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Hearing from Jason was meaningful and exposed me to some of the real-world statistics and experiences that are occurring in my community due to a gross lack of resources and action by government agencies. His words highlighted the absolute necessity of advocacy groups in combating these deeply entrenched issues. 
Jason’s Renaud currently manages the Mental Health Association and its projects. 37 years into his own recovery, he advocates for people experiencing addiction and homelessness. From the website of the Mental Health Association of Portland: “​​In 2010 he ran for Portland City Council on a police reform platform. In 2014 Renaud produced the award-winning documentary film Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse. He has been amicus curiae to US DOJ v City of Portland since 2018. He is a former Crisis Intervention Team trainer and a community engagement trainer for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Currently, he serves on the board of the Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation, Multnomah County’s Transforming Justice Steering Committee, and Portland’s Police Accountability Commission, and was an advisor to the TRANSFORM911 Project at the University of Chicago Health Lab in 2022” (Renaud, 2023).
If you’re interested in looking into his past and current projects, they are linked below. I have also attached the organizations that Jason recommended pursuing volunteer work at below.
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Jason's information and projects:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrenaud/
https://twitter.com/renaud_pdx
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Recommend organizations to volunteer for:
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References
Budnick, N. (2018, April 3). Assault reports spark concerns about mental health facility. PortlandTribune.com. https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/assault-reports-spark-concerns-about-mental-health-facility/article_d86e9175-9229-575a-81d1-05ff65954308.html
Corkery, M. (2023, July 29). Fighting for Anthony: The Struggle to Save Portland, Oregon. Nytimes.com; New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/us/portland-oregon-fentanyl-homeless.html?unlocked_article_code=dmlSM8I6Xz3QigxMt48PoRS9hs58FA91GnN81CZb6TtoShlZy3gIokXZC1x22xc-ZXHe0csS9o7ArT7XiXH4Tcref9-sp42Nto1YuBN6P3_3boItBdlDMN00ftE-r68V0AO6Qf8DZ-uORlkitfyFGGauhoOAqgtK4CLzuRON-fdDwJbJsVxPVmVk9phWJm1u53Qgg11xwjTlLnfI58YXE3NuOnTJmceLKvc3wxJAsiwkQ3GenfWjSz_OmCIqku4X8HaWjFcEAWR66BpaGrAaPdKS9HZCKUte1llWITt6sNA6O2GfnBiNPVVATs21DHjN7Lh_aaqndHxRLQHMBc6AHruNjtY06w&smid=tw-share
Dooris, P. (2023). Downtown Portland’s resemblance to a dead mall. Kgw.com. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/downtown-portland-rei-vandalism-theft/283-87c9ac7d-fe93-40dd-b81b-7ee1688b1f0a
KOIN 6. (2020, October 2). Downtown Portland businesses: How many open, closed or empty. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlAT8GQ3SYs
Renaud, J. (2023). Jason Renaud – Background – Mental Health Association of Portland. Mentalhealthportland.org. https://www.mentalhealthportland.org/background-jason-renaud/
Zielinski, A. (2023, March 22). In enforcing Portland camping ban, Mayor Ted Wheeler wants help from people who have experienced homelessness. Opb. https://www.opb.org/article/2023/03/22/ted-wheeler-portland-oregon-camping-ban-help-from-people-who-were-homeless/
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