Sept. 4: Cities can’t prosecute people for sleeping on streets, federal court rules
The 9th United States District Court of Appeals has ruled that cities cannot prosecute people sleeping on public streets, claiming that such prosecution amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. The court decided in favor of a group of six houseless people who sued the city of Boise, Idaho in 2009 over an ordinance that prohibited sleeping in public spaces.
Sept. 5: Portland woman bit by raccoon sues former landlords
Heidi Schultz—a former tenant of Southeast Portland’s Wimbledon Square and Gardens apartment complex who was bitten by a raccoon in September 2017 while walking her dog on the property—is suing her former landlords for $151,000. Schultz claims management failed to adequately clean up trash bins, allowing garbage to build up and attract wild animals. Earlier this year, the firm representing Schultz won another lawsuit against the property owners after tenant Robert Trebelhorn was injured falling through a rotting walkway.
Sept. 5: TriMet considers closing four downtown MAX stops
TriMet has announced it may shut down four MAX stops in downtown Portland in an effort to speed up travel through the area. All stops under consideration for closure are served by Red and Blue line trains and are within one-fourth mile of other MAX stops. TriMet estimates closing these stops could shorten trips between the Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson St and Old Town/Chinatown stops by about two minutes.
Sept. 7: Burgerville button ban begets backlash
Regional fast-food chain Burgerville has announced it will update its uniform policy to ban employees from wearing buttons with personal or political messages after 10 workers at a Portland location were sent home for wearing pins bearing the phrases “Abolish ICE” and “No One is Illegal.” In a statement, representatives of the Burgerville Workers Union fired back, accusing the company of giving in to right-wing pressure against the interests of its employees. “Within 24 hours of the swell of right-wing outrage, Burgerville corporate capitulated to the demands of internet racists,” the statement said. “Burgerville’s motto is ‘Serve with love.’ The union asks, who do they serve—white supremacists or its anti-racist workers?”
