It’s another weekend here in Portland and, boy, do we have a lot going on. We’re still deep into Rose Festival, the Fleet is still in and there’s even a Midsummer Festival happening. And that’s not even everything. So, without further ado, let me tell what’s going on today.

First, today’s weather:

Another gray, rainy day with a high of 71.

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. The U.S. Federal Reserve is raising interest rates at the fastest pace in decades to try and tame raging inflation. This also means rising mortgage rates, but that hasn’t dampened the Portland housing market. “We’re in a very strong seller’s market,” said Aryne Blumklotz, principal real estate broker at Living Room Realty. “There’s not much to buy.” Home prices in Portland jumped 11.7% to a median of $575,000 in May, up from $515,000 a year ago, according to RMLS, as tight supply offset rising interest rates, which tend to cool real estate markets by making monthly payments higher. (Willamette Week)
2. The International Rose Test Garden botanic specialist and curator Harry Landers is speaking out about his concern for the Portland garden. “It just makes me sick to see this gorgeous garden plummet like it has,” said Landers. “You shouldn’t see weeds in the beds … these roses are hungry, the lawn is starving.” Landers said he’s made multiple calls to Portland city officials and to Portland Parks & Recreation hoping to share his concerns and offer help. He said they have all ignored him. “The City of Roses? Now it’s the city of weeds,” he quipped. (KGW.com)
3. The first of Portland’s six tiny home villages for homeless individuals is set to open next week along Southwest Multnomah Boulevard. Operated by the nonprofit All Good Northwest, the village will feature 30 sleeping pods. Each 8 x 8 foot home has a twin-sized mattress, air-conditioning and heat and a locking door. The community will share a small kitchenette that consists of four microwaves, two refrigerators and a shared pantry space. There are no stoves or ovens. There are three full bathrooms with showers, a few small garden beds and one laundry room with two washers and two dryers. (OregonLive)
4. Gas prices are still rising and Portland isn’t likely to see any relief at the pumps anytime soon. In a discussion with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, she said given the legalities surrounding Oregon’s gas tax, it is not an option to waive. She said that the state is working on other ways to help families. In that respect, she said the state is putting money into childcare, housing and the program Future Ready Oregon. Brown also mentioned that 260,000 checks will be sent out for those who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. (KATU)
5. As Americans await a final decision from the Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade, some state and local governments are taking action now. On Thursday, Multnomah County Commissioners Jessica Vega-Pederson and Susheela Jayapal co-sponsored a board resolution protecting access to abortions and reproductive medical care in the county. It is one of two actions being taken by the county this week. Vega-Pederson is also proposing $200,000 in funding to organizations that work to provide safe reproductive health services to those who are unable to receive that care. (KPTV)

Today in Portland:

• If you’re looking for laughs, come to Leikam Brewing on East Burnside for Sorry Not Sorry, a free comedy show featuring women, LGBTIQIA+, and POC comics. Portland comedy faves Marietje Hauprich, Julia Corral, and Eliza Butler host this monthly standup showcase, featuring local favorites Amanda Lynn Deal, Imani Denae, Bjorn RG, and Clancy Kramer. Come early, grab a drink from our host Leikam Brewing and pupusas from Salvi PDX, and enjoy a night of some of the best comedy Portland has to offer. 8:00 PM.
• For an evening of fashion, look no further than Gallery Go Go at Pioneer Place Mall for Drag Me To SCRAP! A Creative Reuse Fashion & Drag Show. This is a follow-up to the open studio inviting all participants to come on over to Gallery Go Go and show off their work in a fashion show. See a fantastic drag show hosted by Portland sweetheart Sue From Corporate, and help raise funds for some wonderful resources in the city through a raffle, silent auction, and more exciting offerings! Get your tickets online. 6:30 – 8:00 PM.
• Brewers & Their Bands is BACK and better than ever! Come to Ecliptic Brewing for this Portland Beer Week Preview Event featuring a day of live music and beer tastings- festival style! They are hosting some of Portland’s favorite brewers in a series of live music performances outside on their patio. Headlining the event is Ecliptic’s owner and Brewmaster, John Harris, and his band, Buds of May Revival. Tickets available online. Showtime is 4:00 PM.
• If you’ve seen the movie Midsommar, let me just assure you that the Oregon Midsummer Festival at Oaks Amusement Park is very different from that. Sit back and enjoy a wide variety of Scandinavian entertainment, from traditional dancing to vibrant live music on two stages. Taste the classic flavors of thin Swedish pancakes, sweet cardamom rolls, lingonberry tea and more! There will be games and crafts and a Maypole to be raised. And Vikings! Tickets available online. 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• And, in case I need to tell you, the Rose Festival is still very much in full swing. Today will feature the Grand Floral Parade that will go through the Rose Quarter. It will also be televised live on FOX 12 Oregon at 10:00 a.m. If you want to experience the thrill of competitive boating, The Dragon Boat Races will be going on at Tom McCall Waterfront Park from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. And finally, if you just want to dance, check out the RoZone Concert: Modestep from 3:00 – 8:00 PM, also at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Your concert ticket includes admission to Rose Festival CityFair starting at 12:00 p.m. Come early to enjoy carnival rides, tasty food, and beverages in CityFair! (Rose Festival)

From my notebook:

• Portland loves its sports, but one local artist got super inspired over the pandemic to put his own spin on some of the city’s beloved sports icons. Erik Schultz, better known by his artist moniker Neon Black Tiger, creates what he calls “neon terror” images of prominent sports figures. After a look at his work, the saying “two things can be true” has never been more relevant. These images are scary, yet remarkable at the same damn time. Aside from offering prints of his colorful pieces, he turns them into sports cards—fitting, given the subject matter. (Portland Monthly)
• Sometimes creators are so driven by what they could do, they ignore the question of whether they should do it. Enter Portland ice cream makers Salt & Straw. The folks who brought you turkey-flavored Thanksgiving ice cream are back with another poultry-themed variety for the month of June only: Cinnamon & Honey Fried Chicken. It’s a collaboration with Ezell’s Chicken, a Seattle chain beloved by Oprah Winfrey, which also has a location in Washington Square Mall. (Portland Monthly)
• It’s sad news for patrons of the SE Portland dive The Jolly Roger. Rob Jackson, co-owner of the Jolly alongside wife Starr for the past 20 years, has reported that the property was bought by developers whose plans for a five-story, 100-plus-unit residential complex await governmental approval, which leaves the business in a peculiar limbo. One Jolly bartender told WW last month that the bar would stay open until the 2023 Super Bowl. If forced to make a prediction, co-owner Jackson’s best guess was a New Year’s scuttling, but stressed the futility of groundless speculation. Well, I guess we still have the Yammy. (Willamette Week)
• We do have a silver lining to all the gray skies and rain we’ve been experiencing. The Rogue River Basin system, which includes Applegate and Lost Creek Lakes, is at 97% capacity. The last time the system was that full was in 2019. That’s great news given how much of the state is experiencing drought conditions. The nearby Talent Irrigation District’s Emigrant Lake is at 38% capacity. And Hyatt Reservoir in the Cascade Mountains outside Ashland is just 11% full. (OPB)
• The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management has long understood that when a disaster strikes, the ability to use cars and trucks could be extremely limited. Because of this reality, PBEM sees bicycles as a key ingredient in their disaster response plans. At an event Thursday night sponsored by Tern Bicycles and meant as a social mixer and check-in ahead of Saturday’s Disaster Relief Trials, PBEM staffers unveiled the latest addition to their vehicle fleet: A Tern GSD electric cargo bike that could potentially be used as a bike ambulance. (Bike Portland)
• YouTuber Nass Goodman has restored some 1940’s Kodachrome footage of San Francisco and Portland. The whole video is roughly 8 minutes long and we get to Oregon around the 4 minute mark. Even more interesting is that the video includes the clearest images of the Vanport Flood. (YouTube)

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That’s a full day, even by Portland standards. Get out there and have some fun, people, but don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. And come on back next week so I can tell you more about my favorite city.

— Dominic Anaya

About me: Doctor, educator and now a writer/artist, I’m just chillin’ in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, our chickens and our goats.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? Contact me at portland@patch.com