April 12, 2016

Join the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) on April 21^st for Art Spark!

Located at the wonderful Portland Mercado in southeast, Art Spark is celebrating its 8^th year connecting artists and art lovers from all around our community.  

This year’s Art Speak features the RACC Arts Education Program. The Program provides resources and support to local artists, organizations, and schools to strengthen arts and culture learning experiences for youth in our community.

Artists and teachers will be on hand to share their experience of how Arts Education is making a huge difference in our local schools.

Art Spark is partially funded by RACC. Nick is proud to serve as Council liaison to the RACC, as it’s committed to funding diverse and accessible arts programs that reach all people in our community.

Check out Art Spark’s website for more information.

Art Spark

Portland Mercado

Thursday, April 21, 5:30 – 7:30 pm

7238 SE Foster Rd.

Photo courtesy of Art Spark.

April 12, 2016

The City of Portland is committed to open, transparent and accountable government.

Tomorrow, Nick will bring an ordinance to Council, establishing new disclosure and reporting requirements for “Political Consultants.” It builds on ethics reforms adopted by the City to cover lobbyists, and is modeled after reforms pioneered by the City of San Francisco.

Political Consultants help to elect City officials, and enjoy privileged, confidential access to them. Locally and nationally, they increasingly play an important role in shaping public policy. Consultants who provide advice to elected officials may also act as registered lobbyists.

Nick’s proposal would require disclosure of the relationships between City elected officials and their Political Consultants.

In developing this new policy, Nick worked with the elected City Auditor and the City Elections Officer, as well as public interest groups including the Oregon League of Women Voters, Represent Us, Common Cause Oregon, Portland Alliance for Democracy, and the ACLU of Oregon.

The public has a right to know who is influencing the City Council’s public policy decisions. This reform will bring more sunshine to the City’s work. 

Ordinance

Ethics Reform FAQ

Proposed ethics rules at City Hall deserves Council's support

The Portland Tribune Editorial Board

Council to consider lobbying ethics reforms next week

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

Hall Monitor: Campaign Operatives, Catalogued?
Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

April 13, 2016

This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week. It brings national attention to motorists, bicyclists, workers safety, and mobility issues in work zones.

With the dry weather ahead, travelers in Portland will likely see more construction work. The majority of the work is to upgrade water mains and sewer pipes and repair roads, which may increase traffic delays.

National studies indicate that driver distraction is the biggest factor in work zone collisions along with excessive vehicle speed.

The Portland Water Bureau recommends the following safety tips to keep in mind while you’re cruising down Portland streets:

• Use an alternate route. When you can, avoid streets with posted work zones.

• Expect delays. Plan to leave early so you can drive safely through the work zone and avoid having to rush.

• Be alert. Pay attention to the driving task and watch the cars ahead of you.

• Obey all speed and warning signs. They are there for your safety and will help prevent a collision.

• Do not tailgate.  Double the following distance

• Carefully move over.  When possible give workers more room between them and your vehicle, but do not veer into on-coming traffic lane.

• Watch for vehicle access. Be aware that temporary construction may impact either side of the road, or adjacent streets.

• Stay clear of construction vehicles.  Heavy vehicles travel in and out of the work areas and can make sudden moves

Check out the Water Bureau’s website for more information.

Proposed ethics rules at City Hall deserve council’s support

Editorial Board in the Portland Tribune

Council to consider lobbying ethics reforms next week

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

Why Portland’s Water Hasn’t Gotten The Lead Out

Tony Schick in the OPB

Lead in the water: Why Portland’s on wrong end of national list

Brad Schmidt in The Oregonian

An easy hike through Oaks Bottom, Portland’s urban wildlife refuge

Jamie Hale in The Oregonian

Portland’s Finally Going to Talk to Disadvantaged Folks About Their Filthy River

Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

Portland bans employee travel to Mississippi over discriminatory law

Brad Schmidt in The Oregonian

Are All Portlanders Rich Except You?

Dr. Know in the Willamette Week

April 19, 2016

Join the City of Portland for a wonderful biking adventure fit for the whole family – Sunday Parkways!

Sunday Parkways is a fun way for Portlanders of all ages to get out and bike, walk, run, roll, and enjoy fun events and healthy activities. Routes include delicious foods, local vendors, and music!

This year’s Sunday Parkways features five traffic-free events throughout Portland’s neighborhoods, including a new route linking Portland and Milwaukie, and going over the new Sellwood Bridge.

Here are the dates and locations for Sunday Parkways 2016:

• East Portland - May 15, 11am to 4pm (7 miles)

• North Portland - June 26, 11am to 4pm (9.5 miles)

• Northeast Portland - July 24, 11am to 4pm (8 miles)

• Southeast Portland – August 21, 11am to 4pm (7 miles)

• Sellwood/Milwaukie – October 2, 11am to 4pm (8 miles)

For more information about Sunday Parkways, visit the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s website. Don’t forget to ‘like’ Sunday Parkways on Facebook and follow it on Twitter!