Plus, 1.5M acres of wildfire in Oregon. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Thursday, July 30 

Your Daily Guide

Good morning! Pacific University is launching the state’s first in-person, three-year bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, computer science, and sustainability & adaptation. The accelerated programs, which will require 25% fewer credits than the standard four-year term, will launch next fall.

What Portland's Talking About

Secretary of State Dings City Over Election Complaint

In response to complaints from the campaign seeking more police funding, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Reed criticized the city elections office for “a lack of transparency with stakeholders and the public” in a letter to the City Auditor Simone Rede. Despite a request from the campaign for the state to take over the signature validation process, Willamette Week reports that Reed “stopped short of that, or of threatening any action.” [Willamette Week]

  • Related: Every Oregon general election for 124 years has had a statewide ballot measure. But not this year: None qualified. That includes the effort to ban hunting and fishing. [Oregonian]

1.5M Acres Burning

Wildfires were active across 1.5 million acres of Oregon, as of Monday evening. And a minimum of 6,000 Oregonians were under “go now” evacuation orders. [OPB]

Feds Back Off Justifications for a Border Patrol Shooting

A plea agreement for the man shot by Border Police in Portland does not include the most serious charge against him: assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. Federal officials also backed off claims Luis Nino-Moncada had ties to a gang: His criminal history includes nothing more serious than a traffic violation, according to court filings. Nino-Moncada, who is from Venezuela, admitted he was in the country illegally and will leave the country after his sentencing in September. [Willamette Week]

Test Your Knowledge of Portland Art

Elk statue next to a tree, with high-rise buildings in the background.

The Thompson Elk returned to downtown earlier this year. (Rachel Monahan / City Cast Portland)

This week’s news that the President Lincoln statue is again causing controversy inspired this quiz. Lincoln got overturned during the 2020 protests, but will return next year. So it’s a good moment to test your knowledge of Portland’s public art. The first question links to a longer quiz:

How tall is the President Lincoln statue that was toppled during the 2020 protests?

A. 5 feet — without its former pedestal

B. Life sized: 6 foot 4 inches

C. 10 feet

Take the Quiz

What To Do

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Thursday, July 30

Friday, July 31

Saturday, Aug. 1

More Portland Events

📣 A shoutout to Tajmon N., our newest City Cast Portland Neighbor. Welcome! And thank you for supporting this newsletter and our podcast by becoming a member.

And goodbye for now: Look for our guide to August in Portland later this afternoon — in your inbox.

— Rachel Monahan

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