Your Daily Guide

Slow Pace for Street Renaming

After revelations of union leader Cesar Chavez’s alleged sexual abuse, Portlanders agree that the street named after him needs to be renamed. But some are moving slowly. OPB’s Alex Zielinski reported on why. [OPB]

• The reason: When the effort to honor union leader Cesar Chavez by naming a street after him began in 2007, many in Portland responded with hostility. Four streets were considered and rejected before City Council approved the renaming of 39th Avenue. [OPB]
• Context: Marta Guembes, co-chair of the Chavez street renaming effort, told OPB about the three-year renaming experience: “I saw the ugliest side of Portland, such hatred. I received death threats. I put my family, my children at risk. I saw racism right in my face.” [OPB]
• Honoring the Latino community: That’s all a reason to choose another Latino leader to honor with a Portland street name — in the same location or elsewhere. In case you missed it, Councilor Candace Avalos suggested Dolores Huerta Boulevard, which could honor both a Latina leader and farmworkers. [Willamette Week]
• Numbered streets for easy navigation: A Portland public transit expert Jarrett Walker blogged about the case for 39th. “Numbered avenues are a good thing, and so are streets named for plants or animals or landscapes,” he writes. “Human heroes may disappoint us, but math and nature never will.”
• Agreement on a name change: We recently chatted about the need for a name change on the podcast. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

State Rebuffs Trump’s Mail-in Ballot Order

Oregon officials are threatening legal action following President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to reshape elections. Just minutes after Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that targets mail-in voting, Secretary of State Tobias Read threatened to sue, pointing to Oregon’s “gold standard vote-by-mail” system. [KOIN]

Power Bills Are Going Up (Again)

Higher electricity rates took effect Wednesday, which means Portland General Electric customers can expect about an $8 increase per month. Pacific Power customers will also see their monthly bills go up by about $5. The Public Utility Commission voted earlier this week on the changes, which marks the sixth year in a row of rate hikes. Since 2020, residential electric bills have increased by about 50%. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]

Mt. Hood Meadows Dries Up Early

Skiers take note: You have just two more weekends to hit the slopes at Mt. Hood Meadows before the hill closes for the season on April 12. The unusually dry winter has forced an earlier-than-normal closure, with snowpack well below where it should be for the region. [OPB]

Falling For ‘The Morelands’

Sellwood gets a lot of love, but you’re probably sleeping on neighboring Eastmoreland and Westmoreland. Today on the podcast, we’re revisiting our guide to this overshadowed part of the city with Willamette Week reporter Rachel Saslow. From sushi, theaters, parks, and even a dedicated crying room — there’s plenty to explore. [City Cast Portland 🎧]