Dave Knows Portland

May Day 2010

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May Day 2010It’s May Day, so you know what that means!

Well, for most Americans in means just another day to meekly report to work and grovel for a paycheck (or a day to spend recovering from said groveling if you have Saturdays off).

But in the rest of the world, and yes, even for some Americans, May Day belongs to the People. And this being Portland, of course there will be a rally.

The May Day March and Rally: Jobs for All! Immigrants’ Rights Are Workers’ Rights takes place Saturday, May 1st. The Portland May Day Coalition is made up of grassroots community organizations, labor unions, faith communities, and individuals. Festivities begin at SW Park and Salmon downtown, with 11am entertainment and sign-making, a noon rally, and 1pm march.

Portland, OR– April 27, 2010 – With the recent passage of the racist anti-immigrant bill SB1070 in Arizona, which gives police the authority to stop anyone who looks undocumented, Portland labor, immigrants’ rights, and community groups will be gathering in solidarity with people all over the world facing economic crisis, discrimination, and police brutality.

Organizers aim to draw attention to alarming developments locally: Already programs aiming to use police as an arm of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are underway, starting in Clackamas and threatening to spread across the metro region. Their role is largely unregulated and unchallenged, resulting in programs that lack transparency, accountability, and oversight.

Visit MayDayPdx.blogspot.com for more information.

A Dream of Cascadia, in The Guardian

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The GuardianIn the latest issue of The Guardian, columnist Peter Preston writes about Cascadia: A World Away From Texas [can I get an atheist amen!?]

One (Olympic) flame dies – but maybe another flame flickers back into life. All hail Cascadia, the nationalist dream of a new, free land that puts the environment, culture and liberal values first? Don’t laugh (though don’t get too carried away either). The name may sound somewhere between patent water softener and Prisoner of Zenda. The logic of the idea, however, has plenty of hard thinking behind it.

In the piece he briefly explores the history of the idea, and the obvious geographical arguments: Portland, Seattle and Vancouver are an almost continuous metropolitan belt. Think Leeds to Manchester to Liverpool.

Cascadia FlagHe exaggerates just a little when he declares that culturally and politically, big chunks of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia have more in common with each other than any of them have with Texas.

And the values of politics, almost of instinctive belief, are consistent too. Abortion, euthanasia, co-ops, gay marriage – even socialism as a word that may sometimes mutter its name? Cascadia might sit quite happily just outside Stockholm. Bush, Cheney, Fox News and Tea Party Texas are a world away.

But the political reality, he points out, is that Americans are often patronisingly racist about Canada [<- Ha, he spells like a Canadian!], and stubbornly resistant to constitutional upheaval. But he does make some good points . . .

Yet why, pray, is the Canadian way – or the Cascadian way – any more outlandish than the Mad Hatter’s tea party antics currently transfixing Washington DC? And why is constitutional change, as opposed to rightwing rage, such a forbidden American subject?

Read the rest at The Guardian, and make sure to check out the lively debate in the comments (if only to confirm that much of the comments on British newspaper articles are as troll-y as those in American papers).

MLS to Portland for 2011 Finalized

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Portland MLS 2011We celebrated last March when Major League Soccer officially awarded a team to Portland for 2011. That was only the beginning, however, of a seemingly unending series of meetings and negotiations and City Hall votes. I learned a lot about how our city works during this process, and to paraphrase Otto von Bismarck, Portland City Council resolutions are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. I know now that, despite what the extraordinarily loud and obnoxious (and often professional) naysayers and curmudgeons believe on faith; this was not a back room deal – every detail was debated and negotiated during an arduous democratic process. I also learned that fully one half the people who testify at City Council meetings are bat shit crazy.

Yesterday, another major milestone was completed, when the Portland City Council passed the funding and renovation plan to upgrade PGE Park for Major League Soccer.

But, of course, there’s still much more to do. Below is a tentative timeline leading up to 2011 (from an email to season ticket holders from the Timbers organization). I recommend you get your season tickets now, as come 2011 it will be very hard to find a seat (i.e. a place to stand)!

  • Late March 2010 – Phase I of stadium construction completed
  • Mid-April 2010 – Timbers USL-1 season kicks off at PGE Park
  • June 2010 – 2011 MLS Season Seat Selection Package is delivered to all 2010 Timbers ticket packages holders and 2011 MLS depositors
  • Mid-to-Late June 2010 – Selection process begins for 2010 Timbers ticket package holders
  • Late June to Early July 2010 – Selection process begins for 2011 MLS depositors
  • Late July 2010 – Open 2011 MLS season seat selection for general public
  • September 2010 – Phase II of stadium construction begins
  • Early March 2011 – Stadium construction complete
  • March 2011 – Inaugural MLS match for Portland Timbers franchise

And don’t forget, today is Timbers Army First Thursday!

Portland Timbers Roundup (01/22/10)

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TimbersThe big news this week is that the City has completed the deal to bring Major League Soccer to Portland. There’s another hoop to jump through though (as always it seems) – the City Council vote next Wednesday, January 27th. As they have been throughout the process, Timbers supporters will be showing their support at the meeting. Afterwards head on up to the Bitter End Pub (1891 W Burnside) for a post-meeting party!

Are you ready for the roundup? It’s a big un . . .

Major League Soccer deal has new guarantee, political support by Ann Saker at The Oregonian

The proposed final agreement to convert PGE Park to a Major League Soccer stadium goes before the Portland City Council next week with enough political muscle to pass and with new guarantees from franchise owner Merritt Paulson to cover the costs of the renovation. [More]

Timbers name Gavin Wilkinson Technical Director at PortlandMLS2011.com

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers announced today the club has appointed Gavin Wilkinson as the Technical Director for the Timbers’ Major League Soccer franchise, which is slated to begin play in 2011. Timbers president Merritt Paulson made the announcement. [More]

Timbers tidbits for a rainy day by Kip Kesgard at Oregonlive.com

Soon enough, the blustery winter weather turns towards the spring showers, and that means Timbers season is coming soon! With all the offseason craziness now settled, it appears that everything is progressing along nicely for the 2010 campaign. There is plenty to talk about with the Timbers on the stadium front, scheduling, and player news. [More]

The Life of a Soccer Wife: Our BIG News! by Laura Kristi at The CRONicles of Laura

My husband officially re-signed with the Portland Timbers and we couldn’t be happier about it. It’s funny, I had never even visited Oregon before our move from LA last March… but now, only 10 months later, it feels like the place we can call home. [More]

Vancouver, Portland Take Step In Right Direction at WVHooligan

Both Vancouver and Portland may be a little over a year away from putting a Major League Soccer club on the field but both took a big step forward this past week in hiring technical directors. [More]

KNOW YOUR SGs: Timbers Army by Nate Scadlock at Major League Soccer (MLS) Rumors

Describe the Timbers Army…What do you guys offer to your team and fellow fans?

The Timbers Army is welcoming to all and one of the most loyal, if not the most loyal, supporters group in North America. To the team we offer 90 minutes of the most intimidating atmosphere you’ll find in the US. To the fans we offer 90 minutes of insanity. [More]

Warner hopes to carve role in RSL midfield by John Coon at Major League Soccer

SANDY, Utah — There was a time when [former Portland Timbers U23 player] Collen Warner thought that the next stage in his soccer career lay in Europe. The University of Portland midfielder had decided to leave the United States and try his luck as a trialist with a European club. [More]

From all walks, hopefuls share one common goal at PortlandTimbers.com

They come from as many as five different countries and bring with them an array of backgrounds. But the dozens of strangers at the Timbers open tryout this weekend will share one common goal as they take the field under watchful eyes.

Over the two-day open tryout, hopefuls will showcase their talents through a series of drills, small sided games and full competitive matches, looking to standout among the crowd for the Timbers coaching staff. [More]

A Rose Quarter Roller Coaster?

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One proposal for the Rose Quarter is to transform it into Memorial Park.

The boring part: an Imax theater, a House of Blues, and a Gameworks.

The interesting part: A roller coaster!

In the spirit of the popular attraction at Jantzen Beach, the newest addition to the Portland skyline is “Hero”, a 200 foot tall steel roller coaster. The longest, fastest, tallest roller coaster in Oregon will have people visiting from all over the Pacific Northwest.

Portland has a distinctive dearth of roller coasters (though I’m quite fond of the quaint Looping Thunder at Oaks Park). Here’s an example of what a Rose Quarter coaster might look like:

And here’s a 3D video rendering of what the ride might be like:

There are more example images at the website, PDXCoaster.com, and at the group’s Facebook page. And you can follow the group on Twitter.

If you want to throw your support behind this idea you can read and sign the petition on the PDX Coaster Info page.