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North and downtown Portland competing for city construction funds
By Jim Redden The Moda Center and Portland State University are competing for $164 million in city funds by the end of the year — money that many people don’t believe exists and can’t be raised. The city council must vote before the end of the year whether to spend $120 million to help renovate…
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Dwight Jaynes: Dundon holds the cards in Moda negotations
Would new Portland Trail Blazer owner Tom Dundon really move the team out of town if the Moda Center isn’t renovated the way he wants with public funds? Legendary longtime Oregon sportswriter Dwight Jaynes believes the answer is yes and that Dundon is already preparing to relocate the Blazers when his current lease expires in…
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City, County to discuss high stakes Blazers/Moda Center deal
The first public Multnomah County Commission and Portland City Council meetings on hotly debated funding improvements to the Moda Center are scheduled for next week. The County Commission discussion will happen first on Tuesday, June 23. County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson has pledged $88 million toward the $600 million in proposed renovations, but the commission…
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City Council passes Kanal’s anti-mask ordinance
North and Northeast Portland Councilor Sameer Kanal scored a political victory when he convinced the majority of the City Council to pass the ordinance that he has proposed to prevent all law enforcement officers from wearing masks on Wednesday, May 28. The ordinance, which was approved by a vote of 8-to-4 also requires such officers…
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Voters will likely decide on $4.3 billion in ODOT funding at May election
By Jim Redden Oregon voters will likely decide whether to increase transportation-related taxes and fees by $4.3 billion over 10 years at the May 19, 2026, primary election. On March 11, Marion County Circuit Court judge declined to prevent Democrats in the 2026 Oregon Legislature from moving the ballot measure from the Nov. 3, 2026,…
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North Portland legislator praises passage of Moda Center renovation package
In a remarkable show of bipartisan unity, the proposal to renovate the Moda Center in Northeast Portland to keep the Trail Blazers from leaving town passed the Oregon House by a 42 to 14 vote on Friday, March 6. The bill to create the Oregon Arena Fund to support a $600 million renovation of the…
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Multnomah County prepares for CEI Hub disaster
By Jim Redden The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved a resolution to ensure the county has enough funding to deliver essential health and emergency services following the release of hazardous materials from the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub (CEI Hub) in industrial Northwest Portland. “This is the first step for being able to respond…
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MODA Center, PPS funding face tests in 2026 Legislature
Even though the state’s budget crisis has eased slightly, the 2026 Oregon Legislature will still need to consider cutting budgets and raising revenue before it ends on March 8. A big North/Northeast Portland project is at the center of the negotiations – the estimated $600 million renovation of the Moda Center considered necessary to keep…
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Oregon Legislature debates future of Sauvie Island family-owned, CEI Hub bills
House Bill 5143 – Farm Shop Bill: It is intended to protect farms with an entertainment dimension such as Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island. Advocates maintain it will preserve hayrides, corn mazes, field trips, classes, and seasonal harvest events etc., and remove restrictive income limits that make it hard for farms to diversify and stay…
