📸 Time travel to Portland in the '70s

Plus, a moo-ving I Spy.

By Cassie Ruud

Oh hey there, how’s it going? 

Like most Pacific Northwesterners, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about this sunshine we’ve been having — on the one hand do I trust that this will fulfill my vitamin D levels? On the other, do I buy a sunlamp as backup should the weather turn?

Do you have any cautious sunshine routines / habits / superstitions when that yellow sphere shows its face ‘round these parts? Hit reply to this email and let me know (TIA).

For today’s news round-up, we have: A mistaken trove of OED benefits claims going to one person, why some federal cases against protesters are being dismissed, a super-spicy list, and a collection of photos — which you can see for a quarter. 

Today our Bridgeliner Unabridged members are wrapping up a moo-ving I Spy challenge. Wanna join the fun? Become a member today.

Let’s go to press.

📸 Instagram of the Day

3 things to know today 

✉️ This Portlander got a BOATLOAD of unemployment claims — for other people. Evan Cater had only been in his new home for about a month when he was inundated with nearly 150 claims letters from the Oregon Employment Department. KATU contacted the OED and was informed that the error could be related to fraud. The department has been gearing up to fight unemployment fraud during the pandemic’s mass unemployment. 

💨 Over a third of the federal cases against Portland protesters have been dismissed — and dismissed with prejudice, indicating the case cannot be brought back to court. KGW interviewed law professor Laura Appleman who explained a possible reason for the dismissals: “The U.S. Attorney’s office has to go through and very carefully ask, ‘Is it worth using our limited time and energy to prosecute each and every of these federal misdemeanors?’” Another sticking point is that many protesters have been charged with “civil disorder,” an obscure law that some defense attorneys say is unconstitutional. The Marshall Project has a deep dive into why. 

⚖️ A new state bill could make displaying a noose a crime. Senate Bill 398 would make intimidation through the racist display of a noose a crime if it’s passed into law. This comes in the wake of several nooses being found in Oregon cities — including Portland. There are still elements to iron out in the bill; get the rest of the story here from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

3 things to make you smile

🌶️ Calling all Portland pepper-heads. Here is where you can get some sizzling dishes that will light up your taste buds. 

📸 Enjoy these historic pictures of Old Town from the mid-’70s. Photographer Patrick F. Smith captured the essence of a pre-developed Portland through street portraits that Smith would pay subjects a quarter to take. During the pandemic, Smith dug into some of the 35-millimeter negatives he’d kept in storage for decades, and the results are nostalgic.

📰 There’s a new magazine in town — and it’s all about Black Femme stories. Erika Ellis’s “Homegirl” will run its first print edition this June. You can read more about what inspired Ellis and her journey here. 

🔒 Unlock I Spy

Right now our Bridgeliner Unabridged members are finishing a game of I Spy and learning about the history behind one of Portland’s most-loved landmarks. Wanna get in on the fun? Get access to exclusive storytelling? Attend future virtual events? Become a member today. 

📰 Meet our staff at Bridgeliner

Editor & Writer 

Cassie Ruud

cassie@bridgeliner.com

Sales & Advertising

Ben Chaffee

benjamin@whereby.us

📅 Things to do

Submit your events to our calendar.

Today

📝 Round Table Discussion with Design community about Creative Collaboration (Online)

🌲 Vital Voices in the Built Environment- Alliance MEEK (Online)

Tomorrow

🎨 Let’s paint a scene of serenity (Online)

🕵️ Get your deerstalker hat — there’s been a crime! (Online)

🌼 Let’s go for a wildflower walk (Online)

📚 Enjoy a beautiful lecture on the novel “Deep River” (Online)

🎵 Tap your toes to the Portland Family Band (Online)

Saturday

🌿 Learn about urban weeds (Online)

Sunday

❓ How much do you know about Portland? (Online)

Monday

✨ Accio Harry Potter trivia (Online)

Thursday, March 11

📚 How to get students prepped for the IB Exams (Online)

🙋 One more thing …