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The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in far north Linnton represents a potential disaster of enormous scale to the entire region. Inaction is not an option.
The CEI Hub contains 600+ fuel tanks of varying sizes holding a combined active storage tank capacity of at least 350.6 million gallons — many sitting on soils that will liquefy in the event of an earthquake.
City Council recently held a work session to discuss changes to the City’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan to support public health and reduce the risk of natural hazards at the CEI Hub. These changes are in response to long-standing concerns about the storage of fuel on unstable soil next to the Willamette River, which threatens public health and the environment.
In the 2025-26 budget, I got a position funded to begin work on how to address those threats. City staff spent more than a year incorporating feedback from industry and community stakeholders for the future of fuel storage in Linnton. The original BPS proposal was introduced to the Planning Commission, where it received additional feedback, before going to City Council for consideration.
And now, I co-sponsored and passed an amendment package to increase safety and transparency at the CEI Hub with a data-driven fuel reduction program. I especially want to thank the tireless advocates in Linnton, an isolated community on the edge of District 4, for championing these stronger safety and resiliency standards.
 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. Please save these dates:
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Far Southwest Neighborhood Association: 7-8:30pm Tuesday, October 27th on Zoom.
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South Burlingame Neighborhood Association: 6:30-7:30pm Thursday, November 19th on Google Meet.
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Old Town Community Association: Noon-2pm Wednesday, December 2nd at District 4 Coalition Office, 434 NW Sixth Avenue #202.
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Hayhurst Neighborhood Association: 7-8:30pm Tuesday, January 12th at Vermont Hills Church, 6053 SW 55th Avenue.
 Last week Portland Public Schools announced two “rightsizing” proposals that will affect hundreds of families, potentially closing Maplewood and Stephenson Elementary Schools and Sellwood Middle School, along with boundary changes across District 4.
These decisions will have far-reaching consequences for students, families, and faculty. PPS has not taken into consideration the long-term consequences of vacant school buildings, let alone childcare access, neighborhood health, or social cohesion. My recent visit to Maplewood Elementary showed me the benefit the school plays in the surrounding community.
These are decisions that should not be rushed. I am hopeful that the school board will carefully consider the concerns raised by students, families, educators, and community members as it works toward a path forward that minimizes the impact on our students and families. My office will continue to oppose these closures without addressing the community impacts. If school closures don’t fix budget problems, then what problem are they solving or creating?
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Last week the Portland Police Bureau swore in 13 new police officers and 2 new professional staff. Great job recruiting!
Chief Day said the bureau is still grieving the loss of K9 partner Kylo, who was recently killed in the line of duty. At the same time, he shared positive news about recruitment efforts:
- Applicants increased by 40% compared to 2023 and 15% compared to 2024
- 2025’s sworn applicant number (1,801) was the highest since 2020
- 2025’s sworn member number (813) was the highest since 2021
- September’s hiring ceremony number (22) was the largest in 25+ years
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 This week I joined the Port of Portland and Portland Street Art Alliance for the unveiling of “Going Places,” a mural at Portland International Airport celebrating the transportation legacies of former Congressmen Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer. Check out this vibrant new piece of public art the next time you’re at PDX!
From airports and rail to roadways and bike networks, Peter and Earl championed transportation projects throughout their careers that shape how people and communities connect. Artist Julz Clementine incorporated all sorts of “Easter eggs” throughout the mural to spotlight their biggest accomplishments.
 Habitat for Humanity Portland Region turned 45 on October 1st — and they have a lot to celebrate: As the oldest affiliate on the West Coast and the largest in Oregon, they have built and repaired homes for 3,500+ people in the tri-county area. In this fiscal year, volunteers contributed a record number of hours.
Last month my office attended “Frame a Future,” which aimed to raise the final funds needed for Gooseberry Trails — Habitat’s largest subdivision in Oregon, with 52 permanently affordable homes in Hillsdale! Greater Portland Bible Church, which also is home to the Southwest Portland Tool Library, sold 5 acres at a steep discount to make this project happen.
The homes are being built with a state‐of‐the‐art, energy-efficient design. More than 85% of them will have 3+ bedrooms, which is well‐suited for larger and/or multigenerational families. Five of the homes will be single‐story and fully ADA-accessible.
 Last week I attended the groundbreaking of Alyssa Daye Gardens, which will provide 31 units of permanent supportive housing for families experiencing houselessness and behavioral health challenges.
While it’s not located in District 4, Alyssa Daye Gardens will play a key role in our behavioral health system — creating a place where families can find stability, connection, and the opportunity to build a future together. To help parents and children remain together, The Peer Company will connect families with peer-delivered services, wraparound care, and ongoing support through a neighboring Recovery Campus.
 This month my staff attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Ukandu Lofts in South Portland.
Located just 12 minutes from both major children’s hospitals, this free, year-round resource center supports children and families affected by cancer. They can access behavioral health providers, share experiences with families facing the same challenges, and find a moment of respite during some of life’s most difficult challenges.
Congratulations to the team at Ukandu for this beautiful new space and the meaningful support it will provide to families in our community!
 Last week Latino Founders celebrated the opening of the Founders Hub Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a 15,000-square-foot space in the Pearl District to empower underrepresented entrepreneurs and contribute to the overall economic development of our region.
For nearly 10 years, this organization has helped grow local businesses like La Casa de Mamá, a vegan Mexican panadería and catering service, and Al Xile, which specializes in handcrafted chili crisp in olive oil.
The U.S. Latino economy has reached $4 trillion, making it the fifth-largest economy in the world if it were measured as its own country. Oregon’s Latino economy contributes $35 billion to the state’s Gross Domestic Product — and that figure is projected to grow to $53 billion by 2030.
 Last week I sponsored the Oregon Historical Society History Makers Awards and Dinner, which recognizes contemporary individuals and organizations that are positively shaping our state’s history, culture, and landscape.
This year’s recipients were Ted Kulongoski, former representative, senator, insurance commissioner, attorney general, supreme court justice, and governor; Mel Brown, the godfather of Oregon jazz; Patsy Smullin, president and owner of California Oregon Broadcasting, the West’s longest continuously operating independent broadcast organization; and iconic outdoor apparel company Columbia Sportswear.
 This week I joined Portland State University President Ann Cudd in celebrating the grand opening of the Jordan Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design!
This is PSU’s first mass-timber structure, utilizing wood sourced from sustainable forest land, and one of the nation’s largest purpose-built art school structures. The new building, which is two blocks away from Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU, combines five existing art facilities serving PSU’s 1,200 art majors and faculty.
Jordan Schnitzer has deep family ties to the neighborhood. In 1905 his Ukrainian immigrant grandfather rented a small one-bedroom home near the site, where he went on to raise seven children who attended Shattuck Grade School and Lincoln High School, now Lincoln Hall at PSU.
 This month Portland Center Stage celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Armory as well as opening night of their 2026-27 season, which kicked off with a comedic interpretation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
The evening also recognized state legislative leaders who delivered a $1.5 million allocation that helped rescue the city’s largest theater company from a financial crisis. Our arts community is vital to downtown revitalization!
 Last week I attended Bookmark, an annual fundraiser for Literary Arts, at Portland Art Museum.
We heard words of inspiration from Board Member Renée Watson, 2026 Newbery Award winner and educator; Owl Matthews, 2026 Youth Poetry Slam Championship Finalist; and the family of the late author Ursula K. Le Guin, whose Northwest Portland home will host an ongoing writers residency. We also enjoyed a performance and conversation with The Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy and his wife, Carson Ellis, talking about their New York Times bestselling fantasy series and upcoming feature film, Wildwood.
 Southwest Harvey Milk Street is filled with pride!
I recently joined Councilor Zimmerman for the grand reopening of the car-free Pride Plaza. Last year the Portland Bureau of Transportation repaved the street and updated the curb ramps to be ADA-compliant, and this year they painted it and added furniture and planters.
Known for decades as Portland’s Gay Triangle, Pride Plaza is located on a historic LGBTQ+ corridor named after Harvey Milk, the slain San Francisco civil rights leader. The adjacent Crystal Hotel is a literal cornerstone of queer history: It once housed Flossie’s, Silverado, and other establishments. In 2024 the flatiron building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance.
 Last week Councilor Zimmerman and I celebrated the installation of a disco ball by artist Ivan McLean at Darcelle XV Plaza!
Our offices each sponsored this project, which will help boost cultural activations at downtown’s newest public space — the nation’s first park ever named after a drag performer! Special thanks to Downtown Clean & Safe for organizing a fun party with Rose City Rollers, Darcelle XV Showplace performers, and DJ Leo.
Coincidentally, Isi Matasavage’s “Mirrorball Messenger” crow statue is at the plaza as part of the “Follow the Crows” art trail, which wraps up at the end of this month. If you missed seeing any of the 30 statues, the entire “flock” will be gathered at the plaza for the first — and final — time on October 31 and November 1 before heading to auction in support of OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
 Spooky season is officially here, but did you know that downtown is home to several businesses where every day is Halloween?
☠️ Skeleton Key Odditorium, a gothic museum and curiosity shop at 939 SW 10th Avenue, displays unusual relics and explores macabre history.
🐦⬛ Raven’s Manor, a haunted bar at 235 SW First Avenue, offers escape room puzzles, craft-your-own-elixir experiments, and other eerie experiences.
👻 Sinister Coffee and Creamery, a queer woman-owned business at 301 SW Morrison Street, brings a paranormal twist to your caffeine fix with ghost tours, Dungeons & Dragons games, and paint nights.
 ► Did you know that in 1937, Portland Recreation Director Dorothea Lensch was one of the only women in the Unites States to hold a position like this at the time? Or that in the 1970s, the Lavender Menace was one of the nation’s first openly gay softball teams? “The world of women’s sports we know today might not even exist without the city of Portland,” says OPB producer-reporter Emily Hamilton, who takes a deep dive into how we became the global epicenter for women’s sports.
► Three cheers for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which organized special bike buses to provide alternative commute methods during the recent Interstate 5 southbound closure! Riders even received $5 in currency for Shemanski Park Farmers Market as an incentive to participate. Karin Wohlert, who works downtown, told OPB she began joining the bike buses this summer and thinks it “creates great community and it also creates safety.”
► The New York Times: “If politics cannot deliver on the block where you live, why would you trust it to deliver anywhere?” says New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has filled 200,000+ potholes since he took office. “Politics has to translate to the pavement.” I’ve been saying this since the beginning: Portland needs to get back to basics! That’s why I helped deliver $70 million in new revenue to fix our roads starting next year.
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