Chlorine Supply & Drinking Water+Police Problems+Outdoor Burn Ban

It’s Juneteenth, everybody, a new, national holiday. Let’s make it count! Here’s what’s going on.

Weather

Wow, I couldn’t ask for a better Saturday! Mostly sunny with a high of 83.

Top news stories for Portland

1. There is a chlorine shortage on the West Coast, making many communities concerned about the safety of their drinking water. Lake Oswego and Tigard have asked residents to limit their water usage. The Portland Water Bureau has issued an announcement regarding the shortage, but claims the city has enough to ensure that Portland drinking water is safe to drink for the next several weeks. (KOIN)
2. Despite the objections of environmental activists, Zenith Energy, a crude oil company, is seeking to expand their operations in Portland. Currently the company transports over 200 million gallons of oil through Northwest Portland. To expand, Zenith Energy requires approval from both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the City of Portland Land Use Compatibility Statement. Environmental activists are hoping they’ll say no, but that may result in a lawsuit against the city. (The Portland Mercury)
3. Tualatin Fire & Rescue has issued a burn ban for Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas and Yamhill counties. The hot and dry weather has dramatically increased the risk of wildfires in these areas so they are banning all outdoor burning. (KATU)
4. Mayor Ted Wheeler issued a public statement regarding the tumultuous week the Portland Police Bureau has had. The Portland Police Association and the City of Portland entered into closed door mediations on June 14th. The next day, Officer Corey Budworth was charged with assault, which caused all 50 members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) to resign. Now it has been announced that Erik Kammerer, the squad leader of the RRT is under investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice. (Willamette Week)
5. The Jupiter Hotel will continue to function as a homeless shelter for at least the next six months. The hotel became a homeless shelter in March 2020 through a partnership with Multnomah County, who leases the space. Most people are there on a 14-day stay, long enough to clear for COVID, after which they can go to a congregate shelter. (KGW)

Today’s events for Portland

1. In recognition of Juneteenth, Albina Vision Trust is hosting an online workshop. Join them as they talk about the history of Albina, discuss the dilemmas it faces and its vision for the future. The workshop is free to stream, but registration is required. 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
2. Would you prefer your Juneteenth celebration to be live and in person, while at the same time supporting minority-owned businesses? Then you want to head down to the Honey Latte Café in Southeast Portland for their Juneteenth Makers Market. There will be music, food, clothing, jewelry and more! 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
3. Fans of the hot rod lifestyle should head on over to the Portland International Raceway for the Rose City Round-Up. There will be classic cars and motorcycles on display, in addition to music, food and vendors. Registration at the gate. 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
4. The Hi-Top Tavern is celebrating its second anniversary and throwing an all-day party. This is also the debut of its collaboration IPA with Migration Brewing. There will be prizes, specials, treats and more! Doors open at 2:00 PM.
5. The Clinton Street Theater has been showing the Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday night since 1978. Even when COVID closed its doors, management kept showing it to an empty theater, just to keep the tradition alive. Now it's back with an extra naughty PRIDE edition of the show. Dress as wildly or as casually as you like, as long as you have fun. Doors open at 8:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

1. In case you haven’t seen it, the trailer for the Portland-filmed, Nicolas Cage movie, Pig, dropped on Thursday. It follows the story of a reclusive chef, played by Cage, searching for his stolen truffle pig. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write. The film hits theaters on July 16th.
2. So, you think you know Portland? The Portland Mercury has been challenging readers’ knowledge of our fine city with a weekly quiz. Try this week's quiz and see how you score! (The Portland Mercury)

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Featured event

• June 20th: The Best Gifts For Dad This Father’s Day
• June 21st: Blood Donors Needed
• June 22nd: Our blood supply is running on empty and our community needs YOU

That’s one wild weekend ahead of us, but that’s life in the city. The City of Roses, that is. Have fun my friends and I’ll be back next week to gush like a fan boy about Portland.