 I’m dedicating time to meet with District 4 constituents both virtually and in their own neighborhoods — to hear what’s on your mind and to provide information on a variety of issues. I am also reaching out to attend neighborhood association meetings when possible. You can find all of my event listings here.
Please save these dates:
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Online: 5:30-6:30 pm Monday, October 6th. Register here.
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Hillside: 11 am-1 pm Friday, October 10th at Hillside Community Center, 653 NW Culpepper Terrace.
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Eastmoreland: 3-5 pm Thursday, October 23rd at Eastmoreland Golf Course Bar & Grill, 2425 SE Bybee Boulevard.
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Sellwood: 11am-1pm Friday, November 7th at Sellwood Community House, 1436 SE Spokane Street.
 Let’s go for a walk! I’ll be joining Oregon Walks and my District 4 colleagues Tuesday, October 14th at this fun and casual event where constituents can discuss plans for our city and district. It’s an opportunity for us to connect with each other and get some exercise.
Meet at Salmon Springs Fountain at 8:30am, then we’ll walk on the waterfront for about 1.5 miles. RSVPs aren’t required but are appreciated by emailing info@oregonwalks.org.
Oregon Walks advocates for safe, convenient, and attractive walking conditions as an essential part of thriving, sustainable, and connected communities. It was launched in 1991 as the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition before changing names in 2012.
 I’m thrilled to see Chief Day making progress toward his goal of hiring the largest number of sworn Portland Police Bureau officers in 30 years. Last month I attended a ceremony for the largest hiring class since the late 1990s! Although we have a long way to go, this marks a significant step forward to strengthening public safety on our streets.
 Welcome home, Dame!
Last month I joined thousands of Portland Trail Blazers fans along with my Council colleagues to greet Damian Lillard, who has returned to the team after two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lillard ranks first among all-time franchise leaders in points (19,376), points per game (25.2), 3-pointers made (2,387), free throws made (4,427), and free throw percentage (89.5%). Even though he’ll spend most of this season rehabbing from an Achilles injury, we can already feel the energy and excitement that he’s bringing back to Rip City!
I also got to meet the Blazers’ new center, Yang Hansen, whose summer games have been getting larger audiences in China than some NBA playoff game national broadcasts in the United States!
 Last month I attended the combined effort of the South Portland Grover Tunnel cleanup team and a Walsh Construction-sponsored SOLVE team as we cleaned up a large swath of South Portland. It was great to do this together, meet new people, and make a difference!
 Last month I met with constituents in the Far Southwest neighborhood. Special thanks to the Far Southwest Neighborhood Association for helping to spread the word and to Portland Community College Sylvania for hosting us!
We learned that this fall’s incoming class is PCC Sylvania’s largest since COVID — and we got to see some of the campus improvements that are taking shape thanks to a 2022 bond measure.
 Last month the residents of Meriwether Condominiums invited me to their monthly Speaker Bureau series to discuss issues of concern in the South Waterfront neighborhood. It was a lively, engaging conversation with more than 30 participants! Special thanks to Alison Schrupp and Toni Cooper for organizing the event.
 Last month I joined Mayor Wilson to celebrate the opening of Weir/ESCO’s division headquarters in Northwest Portland — an important milestone for economic growth in District 4.
Launched more than 100 years ago as a foundry, ESCO today focuses on the design and manufacture of mining equipment. Vice President of Strategy Pete Huget explained that these “ground engaging tools” are manufactured in the United States and sold globally.
The expansion of an anchor employer with more than 200 employees in one of the City’s priority industries is a huge win for Portland. It allows ESCO to create a vibrant, functional workplace, while honoring its history and future in Portland. Thanks to Prosper Portland for its support in this retention effort.
ESCO is giving back to the community through immersive programs like STEM outreach activities and sustainability initiatives. It also attracts early and mid-career talent in STEM fields, having strategic partnerships with institutions like PSU and OSU.
 Last month Jon Blumenauer gave me a tour of the new Pearl District showroom for The Joinery, which has sold furniture designed and built in Portland since 1982. An award-winning certified B Corp since 2010, The Joinery operates with a deep commitment to its employees, the environment, and the community.
Jon has weathered some neighborhood challenges — both in the Pearl and in St. Johns, where his woodshop operates — and I admire his resiliency and his belief in Portland. He also has a vision for partnering with similar neighborhood businesses to form a “design center” in the Pearl.
 Last month I visited Rabbi Chayim Mishulovin, who is serving the Jewish community with a retail store and community engagement center all in one place — soon to add a Jewish deli next door!
The Jewish Oasis, located at 1218 NW Glisan Street, is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch of Oregon movement, which provides classes, services, and programs open to every Jew, regardless of background, philosophy, or level of commitment.
 A couple of weeks ago I stopped by Scandals, the last remaining gay bar on Southwest Harvey Milk Boulevard, on its final day of operation after 46 years of serving District 4.
Scandals will live on — manager Munro Rost told me about plans for an all-ages, family-friendly location on Northeast Alberta Street — but this closure marks the end of a 60-year era of gay establishments along this thoroughfare.
Fortunately, Portland Parks & Recreation will continue to celebrate the neighborhood’s vibrant history at Darcelle XV Plaza — named after the legendary drag performer and LGBTQ+ icon — at Southwest Harvey Milk Boulevard and Park Avenue. While the space is under construction, Portlanders are invited to share their hopes for its future on a rainbow-colored “wishing wall.”
In addition, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project recently worked to identify and designate places of significance to the queer community from 1905 to 1994.
 Last month I met with the Southwest Corridor Equity Coalition (SWEC), which focuses on social justice, equitable housing, workforce stability, and community development projects. The corridor extends from downtown Portland along Barbur Boulevard to downtown Tigard and further south along Interstate 5 to Bridgeport Village.
SWEC was formed by community organizations and local government to implement the Southwest Equitable Development Strategy in conjunction with development of the Southwest light rail line. We discussed the need for a multicultural center, upcoming community gardens, community ownership programs, and more. I look forward to our continued partnership!
The artist behind the photo, Shelbie Loomis, focuses her art toward social groups that are often forgotten. In this photo, she shares an illustration of residents of Jantzen Beach RV Park showcasing some of their most prized possessions.
 Last week my office joined in the 2025 Policy Makers Ride, a 19-mile tour of East Multnomah County that addressed both investments and gaps in our regional walking and biking network. Participants included staff from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Bureau of Environmental Services, and Portland Clean Energy Fund.
Hosted by the Oregon Trails Coalition, the ride incorporated new sections of the Marine Drive Path as well as a sneak preview of the Sandy River Trail at Sharon Nesbit Heritage Park in Troutdale. Local leaders spoke about opportunities for future collaboration, including State Senator Khanh Pham, Metro Councilor Ashton Simpson, and Multnomah County Commissioner Vince Dixon-Jones.
 WalletHub just named Portland as Best Coffee City in America — a great excuse to go out and support one of the amazing coffee shops in District 4! The ranking is based on our extremely high number of affordable coffee shops that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5, coffee shops per capita that offer free WiFi, and percentage of people who own an electric coffee grinder.
I recently visited Deadstock Coffee, a Black-owned establishment in Old Town that offers classic and creative signature drinks with sneaker and basketball themes.
 Mayor Wilson wrote a powerful column in Time firmly rejecting President Trump’s mischaracterization of what is happening in Portland: “There is no squaring these words with the Portland I see every day, a Portland of creativity and natural beauty, of kindness and compassion, and of community principles and purpose…. We must recognize that the American consensus on Portland was purposefully broken, and it’s hurting our city.”
Last month I joined Mayor Wilson and Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney for the KATU-TV town hall “City in Crisis: Portland’s Perception Problem.” The general consensus was that we are slowly moving in the right direction: Downtown foot traffic is up, city-county collaboration is improving, and Council is clearing hurdles to encourage development. As I mentioned at the town hall, so much of this progress is thanks to the tenacity of everyday folks like Stadiumhood Neighbors President Michelle Milla and Mother’s Bistro owner Lisa Schroeder, who were also on the panel.
Did you know that District 4 is home to one of the few women-owned distilleries in the world? “We’re in an industry where there’s just still so few women,” Freeland Spirits founder Jill Kuehler tells The Oregonian. “It’s just everything we can do to keep elevating women.” The Northwest District small business gives back to the community and incorporates locally sourced ingredients: Its Cherry Blossom Liqueur is made with cherry blossoms from Portland Japanese Garden, and its Forest Gin uses mushrooms, berries, nettles, and Douglas fir tips from Forest Park!
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