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."

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.

Last night I attended Bookmark, an annual fundraiser for Literary Arts, at Portland Art Museum.

• 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

This week the Portland Police Bureau swore in 13 new police officers and 2 new professional staff! 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:

👻 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.

🐦‍⬛ Raven’s Manor, a haunted bar at 235 SW First Avenue, offers escape room puzzles, craft-your-own-elixir experiments, and other eerie experiences.

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.

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.

While it’s not 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.

This 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.

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.

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.

This 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.

Three years after this unspeakable violence, it is more important than ever to remember the lives lost and to set aside time for mourning. This is a day of solemn remembrance, particularly for Jewish people, and is not a moment to be politicized.

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the Nova music festival massacre, when more than 1,200 people were murdered in Israel, 251 people were abducted and taken into Gaza tunnels, and thousands more were injured.

In 2024 the flatiron building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance. While in the neighborhood I stopped by Camp, a new gay bar opened by Logan Whalen, who owns The Best Coast Barber & Co. across the street.

Known for decades as the 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.

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 PBOT repaved the street and updated the curb ramps to be ADA-compliant, and this year they painted it and added furniture and planters.

This year’s recipients were former Gov. Ted Kulongoski; 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.