And here’s the Daily Drip, hopping into a glittering Tuesday, December 3, 2019–sparkly from the frost on the landscape, with 4 AM temperatures of 34 at PDX, 29 in Hillsboro, and 36 in windy Troutdale. And sparkly later on, from the sun, taking its short 9-hour ride, hung far low across our southern sky. Sunrise 7:32 AM, sunset 4:28 PM..which is within a minute of the earliest sunset of the year.
The very same monster storm that turned Thanksgiving into a harrowing drama for travelers on I-5 between Oregon and California has now completed its deadly march across the nation and is now pummeling New York and New England, where it was just announced that Portland schools are closed. Portland, Maine, of course.
A two-alarm fire destroyed a home and damaged another on Oriole Lane in Lake Oswego overnight. Other homes were evacuated, in the neighborhood near SW Stephenson just north of Mountain Park. No injuries, but one dog is unaccounted for.
A recycling truck backed over the legs of a Portland man as he slept under a tarp near the Eastbank Esplanade. The man is in the hospital with serious injuries.
A deep dive on traffic stop data reveals that Portland police searched African Americans who’d been pulled over at twice the rate of white people. Sen. Lew Frederick told OPB’s Think Out Loud program, ‘“This is confirmation of the racism that we’ve seen for decades here. There’s no other way to describe it.”
The Trump administration is nosing around the mothballed Wapato Jail as a potential pilot project for housing the homeless.
Sad to learn that Pearl Bakery has closed; its last orders are being delivered today from its longtime (since 1997) HQ near Powell’s City of Books.
Now that we’ve tapped our cash for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday–which rang up over $9 billion in sales yesterday, 19% more than last year– is there anything left for Giving Tuesday? Hope so, because good causes abound, and if you have one that means a great deal to you, please free free to plug it here! I try to help the Meals on Wheels people, because the folks they bring nourishment and companionship might be somebody’s lonely Mom or Dad. But we would love to know where you’re sending your very-much-needed dollars.
Jimmy Carter is having his struggles, in this phase of his wonderful life, and now it’s a UTI that has him in the hospital. The guy is such a relentlessly energetic doer of good that he’ll be pounding up drywall next week. First ballot saint.
One year ago today: a piece of metal the size of a car bumper came flying off the Portland Aerial Tram, plunged 130 feet, and clunked a 21-year-old woman on the head as she was crossing the pedestrian bridge–and she had only a minor injury! That’s incredible. That could easily have been fatal. It’s also extremely lucky the chunk didn’t come hurtling down onto I-5. City crews found a broken carabiner–some people call them D-hooks–and all the carabiners and hooks were replaced.
The Blazers are on the road against the Clippers tonight, then host the Kings tomorrow. This town’s really embraced Carmelo Anthony, who yesterday was named Western Conference Player of the Week!
The Seattle Seahawks win over the Minnesota Vikings on a great MNF game last night sets up a classic playoff battle with archrival San Francisco; the Hawks and Niners are both 10-2, and play each other in the final game of the regular season.
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A bit o’ good news for your Tuesday!
–“Tiny Colorado town opens its arms to 700 stranded travelers”
–“Pop star goes incognito and pays for peoples’ stuff”
–“Crowd Welcomes Home Woman Who Found Kindness Nationwide”
–“Grandma’s text mix-up turns into Thanksgiving tradition”
–“Navy Sailor Pulls Off Prank On His Brother With A Little Help”
Details in the old treasured Coffee Cup!
Portland's Daily Drip 