After filing this week's newslede, (deadline was on Tuesday afternoon, I'd given Leonard since Friday to call me for comment, he didn't...) I got a call from Leonard's chief of staff, Ty Kovatch, who spent half an hour explaining why Leonard's program is not a secret, why, in fact, it isn't even Leonard's program to begin with, and why the tone of the piece I was writing was way off. Too late.

I said, simply: "Show me the policy, and I'll stop asking questions."

"What policy?" he asked.

Wow. Doesn't that make you curious?

2.HALLMARKING THE OCCASION!!! The card company that invented Valentine's day and Mother's day finally comes out with a gay marriage card, so early it's practically ACTIVISM. Er...

3.TEXAS!!! Is ready to execute a man with mental illness for conspiring to murder someone he never touched.

4.FAT BLAIR!!! The Sun asks, "does stress make you scoff?"

5.ADDING UP!!! Four more ad agencies open offices in Portland.

Also, Obama may finally stop teasing and name his VP. Or not. I don't really care any more. Good day.

The agreement itself lays out a broad framework for how the site and its neighbors should communicate and the responsibilities of the site. The agreement's goals are pretty straight-forward and non-controversial.

- Initiate and maintain open communication and understanding between parties
- Develop a procedure for resolving problems
- Maintain neighborhood safety an livability
- Reduce crime and fear of crime in the neighborhood

These all reflect the main problems that led to the creation of the center: the belief that day laborers standing on street corners increases crime in the neighborhood and the trouble business owners and English-speaking neighbors have talking to the laborers about their problems. The site is supposed to be a place neighbors can turn to for help resolving problems with laborers instead of just getting frustrated or going to the police. That's why one of the most notable aspects of the agreement is the dedication resolving problems within the community rather than having to call in the police or City to negotiate every dispute. "The first line of communication will be one-on-one via in-person conversation," states the agreement, which requires the site director to give his cell phone number to everyone who signs the agreement so they can call him to discuss problems even after site hours.

The agreement also says VOZ will address the nuisances committed by labor site participants within the four block-square "impact area" and participants who look for work on street corner rather than at the site but doesn't bind VOZ to meeting any set numerical goal of reducing the number of people still on the street corners. This is important because some neighbors thought the site would get rid of the corner altogether, which wasn't VOZ's goal and doesn't seem possible. Business owners, though, are encouraged to post signs telling people about the center -- part of an education campaign that the site needs to get more employers down there hiring workers.

The agreement makes the important distinction between "participants" of the site, whom VOZ is responsible for and will monitor, and people who wait for work on the corners but don't use the site. This might be kind of difficult to parse out in practice. Some guys use the site only occasionally, what exactly should happen if they commit a crime but haven't used the center in a month? Good thing they're establishing a procedure to resolve problems!

Cancer Cure?: Two years ago, cervical cancer inhibitor Gardasil was hailed as the must-have vaccine of the season. Now critics say the hype was unhealthy.

Hello, Goodbye: What do Guantanamo detainees say during their one phone call home a year?

Who's Dying More? U.S.A. Today compiled a list of hospital death rates so, whoa, now anyone can compare hospitals in their state.

Rental Rewrite: The city's Bureau of Housing and Community Development says rental code should be tighter to keep out the slumlords.

Tiny Slush Fund: Portland's police and fire department pension fund accidentally pays retirees $3.1 million extra, including $19 monthly into Tom Potter's pocket.

"What better way to show that we're people out here in need of housing who have respect for the community?" he asked. (Bishop is second from right, in blue).

"My stuff goes with me," said Donald Yates, left, who has been homeless for about 6 years. "I carry a bag of trash out with me every morning, but I always end up picking up other people's trash. There's homeless people like me who don't believe in mess."

Bishop has been out on numerous nights over the past week telling people he plans to do the clean-up. He says he wanted to be sure that if there was anything people needed, they'd have time to take it with them. "Most of this stuff was soaking wet and had been lying here for a long time," he says.

"In this progressive liberal city I've come across numerous articles that put homeless people in a bad light," says Paul De Jean, right, who has been homeless since his home was foreclosed on in January. "So when we saw this place we thought, next time they say homeless people are doing this or that, they'll be able to see we're doing something positive."

"I think this is a real good idea so we can show people that not all homeless people are trash," said Cindy, who didn't give her last name, but who has been homeless since May 2005.

When I left at 2:30, the unofficial campground was spotless.

FACEBOOK FURY!!! A Swedish nurse posts pictures of herself helping with brain surgery online. Totally ruining the Google search for "Swedish nurse," in the process.

SLIT EYES!!! The Argentinian women's soccer team is caught making culturally insensitive gestures in a photograph taken in Beijing.

KITE SURFING!!! Video of a Fort Lauderdale man attempting to kite surf in a tropical storm ends in critical-condition tragedy. Now: I challenge you not to click on that link. It's probably more tasteful to do it now though, eh? Just in case...

TWO-HEADED TURTLE SNATCHED!!! Hunt is on after the odd-looking reptile is stolen from an animal shelter.

Screw you, Tom Wolfe: This is the new journalism in action.

First, PG quotes former Adams staffer Jesse Beason from Adams' blog, who wrote in November 2006 (remember, when the possibility that property could fall in value was just, well, ludicrous?!) that Milepost 5 will provide: "permanently affordable place for artists of all media to create their work, learn from each other, and focus on professional development." PG got into it with Beason on the blog, asking what mechanisms were in place to ensure that Milepost 5 will, indeed, be "permanently affordable." Or:

If someone like Beason is going to sling around lovely unicorn ponies like the phrase "permanently affordable," I think it's pretty much a travesty that nobody's talking about how that permanence is in fact structured. I asked Beason on the Adams blog about this and his response was unsatisfyingly vague.

PG goes on to question whether Milepost 5 is even an "artists colony," after all.

The fact is, though the project is described as though the whole idea is simply, space for artists, the total number of units is 54, and of that number, only the smallest 22 units are going under what is called the "Pay It Forward" program...Yes, most of the units are actually something quite other than, as Jesse Beason describes it, "the first of what we hope will be many places that offer affordable rental and ownership opportunities for artists." Truth is, the lion's share of this project is really not in fact "being turned into something of an artist incubator out on 82nd and Glisan."

And this is the meat of it:

Even if it's a little too generous to go around saying that "an old, abandoned nursing home in the Montavilla neighborhood could soon be a hip new live-work space for local artists." When you're actually talking about fewer than half the units, it's probably just realpolitik, Portland-Arts style.

He said "realpolitik!" About Sam Adams! And then, he got into square footage!

The reader is invited to check this math, but the way I see it, in terms of space rather than units, when all these folks from Adams and Beason on down are talking about Milepost 5, they're actually talking about something like 30% of Milepost 5. The other 70% of this Mp5 "entrepreneurially"-funded catastrophe will be, you guessed it, condominiums priced at something around $400/sq ft just like every other condo building in town.

PG goes on to compare Milepost 5 to more successful similar projects in Sacramento, and to slam an alleged Nike Developer who is "houseblogging" his housing experience at Milepost 5, to generate extra marketing cache for when he ultimately flogs the place. The blog concludes:

Matt Davis, and all of us, have plenty of reason to be a bit nauseated by Milepost 5's hype. Because we all know there are better ways to make community than via entrepreneurs doing what entrepreneurs do. We've seen, here and there, if briefly, what people can do when they need the real thing enough. Really, aren't we just about fed up with this kind of shit?

Why, yes, PG! Yes, we are! Now, if only a local reporter could be bothered to get out to Milepost 5 and research the shit out of the place, I'm sure there'd be more troubling, Adams-platitude-undermining realities to be found. Well, okay, then. Since you asked so nicely...

"We caught them dead to rights," he says. "Our employees swear and certify that they paid these fares."

City regulations require town-car service providers to charge customers traveling between downtown and the airport a minimum of $50. The idea is to stop town cars from competing with licensed cab firms, who charge around $26 for a ride to the airport. But it seems hotel bellhops have been pimping out cheaper town-car fares to hotel customers, in return, presumably, for a cut of the profits.

Dufay's first sting operation took place last Tuesday August 12, and caught 19 drivers either offering too-cheap fares to the airport, or offering rides without a reservation. Here's a list of the fines, which were given out at the Marriott Riverfront, Hotel Lucia, Hotel Vintage Plaza, Marriott City Center, Doubletree Lloyd Center, Benson, Hilton, Hotel Monacao, Hotel Westin, and the Governor Hotel:

I've asked if I can go along on the next sting. And please: Don't thank me. Especially if you're a bellboy. I am, ahem, "just doing my job." Cough. Upholding justice. That's right. You may send all your future news tips here.

A new study found that 13 percent of U.S. citizens are "'net newsers' - web users under 35 who read more political blogs than watch national news coverage, rely heavily on web-based news during the day and have a strong interest in technology and technology news." They're talking about you, Blogtownies.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has resigned, in the face of impeachment.

Michael Phelps picked up his record-breaking eighth Olympic gold medal this week. Where's he gonna go now?

A dam breaks in the Grand Canyon, and officials air lift a few hundred residents and tourists to safety.

Unsurprisingly, the Columbia River Crossing bridge might be bad for salmon.

Hopefully you enjoyed that wave of hot summer weather. Because it's gone.

When we spoke on Wednesday, Rios told me he had an attorney to represent him. But I called that attorney, and was told Rios hadn't supplied her with any details on his case since an earlier conversation back in May. As of now, she isn't his attorney, and, I guess, he needs one. So if you're interested, attorneys, you might like to try contacting Art at Sisters Of The Road on 503 222 5694, or failing that, me, on my cell: 503 502 2106.

Rios feels he was targeted for arrest because of his political speech, alleging that when he was taken to central precinct, following his arrest, he saw pictures of himself and three of the other protest organizers on the wall.

"As a leader of the activism, I feel like they're trying to target me for standing up to their unfair laws," he says.

Rios, who works 13 hours a week earning $13/hour as an on-call floor manager at Sisters, has housing through the office of Housing and Urban Development and is on food stamps. He estimates it would take him 43 weeks, paying all his wages, to pay off a $6250 fine.

Democrats Unite!: Hilary's name will be on the ballot at the Denver convention - Clinton says a role call vote will be "cathartic", critics think it's her "barely disguised desire" to see Obama fail.

But not THAT kind of unity: The Dem's strike explicit reference to "gay and lesbian families" from their platform.

Good old-fashioned Union-ity: Did Wal-Mart pressure store managers to vote Republican because they thought Dem's would help workers unionize?

Coal Cleanup: Regulators say PGE should spend money to not produce electricity from its dirty coal plant.

100 Meter Pot Sprint: The Youth's access to drugs is breaking records - in part of a totally scientific study, 23 percent of teens say they could buy pot in less than an hour. Go for the gold, kids!

Defendant found himself stuck in rush hour traffic near a car that was occupied by two women, one white and one black. The car had a rainbow decal on the rear, which caused defendant to assume that the women were lesbians. The women's car pulled in front of defendant's pickup truck as the lanes narrowed from two to one. Defendant became angry and began "tailgating" the women and, using some kind of sound amplification system, shouted various obscene and racist epithets at the women, accompanied by extremely rude gestures. Defendant's conduct drew the attention of other drivers and lasted for about five minutes as the cars inched through stop-and-go traffic. Eventually, one of the women got out of the car to confront defendant. Defendant did not leave his pickup, but he and the woman engaged in a heated verbal exchange. Defendant did not verbally threaten the woman with violence and no actual violence took place, but the woman later testified that she believed that defendant was trying to incite her to violence. She ultimately returned to her car when her companion intervened and told her that a person in the bed of the pickup was swinging a skateboard in a menacing way.(2) The two women then drove away and called the police.

Harassment and annoyance are among common reactions to seeing or hearing gestures or words that one finds unpleasant. Words or gestures that cause only that kind of reaction, however, cannot be prohibited in a free society, even if the words or gestures occur publicly and are insulting, abusive, or both. Stated another way, ORS 166.065(1)(a)(B) constitutionally may protect a hearer or viewer from exposure to a reasonable fear of immediate harm due to certain types of expression, but it cannot criminally punish all harassing or annoying expression.

The court wrote:

Plaintiffs, Oregon voters who signed Referendum 303, appeal the district court's denial of permanent injunctive relief against Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury ("Secretary"). The Secretary determined that Referendum 303, which sought a statewide vote on a legislative act establishing same-sex domestic partnerships, did not have enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Plaintiffs contend that the Secretary's procedures for verifying referendum petition signatures violated their equal protection and due process rights. The district court held that no constitutional violations occurred. We affirm.

Which means that vote isn't going to happen, so the domestic partnership law--which went into effect in February, after an initial court ruling in the state's favor--is safe for now.

With at least one of anti-gay groups behind the effort lacking cash, it's unclear if they'll make an effort next year to repeal the law (their only option now that it's in place; the early effort was technically a 'referral' before the law took effect). Otherwise, I suppose they could appeal the case to the Supreme Court...

This week I wrote about Kuykendall's organization, the PBA, funding City Commissioner Nick Fish's election campaign, asking whether the PBA may have bought Fish's vote on council for continuing the law. But judging from the tone this morning, it's starting to feel as if the PBA's $6000 may not have ensured Kuykendall's political victory, after all.

Reese says he would hate to see the law go away. His argument seems to be that it would require police to work much harder to pursue people for menacing and harassment, for example, than it would to just target them with the sit/lie. His officers agree: They say it's a good way for them to talk with people and direct them towards services.

The group has also heard from a Rent-A-Cop working for Portland Patrol, Inc, introduced as Jimmy Baher (sic?), who described a homeless man as a "biohazard," for urinating and defecating on Old Town benches. "People want to sit there," he said.

"Most people really enjoy us coming by and waking them up," Baher said. "But as far as the sidewalk obstruction, I don't really get involved in that. I just converse with most of them. They're pretty agreeable with the suggestions for help, and so forth."

"Yeah, we look like some of [the police], but we aren't the police, and we're very up-front about what we do," says John Hren, the boss of PPI. "The problem in the 1980s was that there weren't enough bathrooms downtown, and the problem now is that there aren't enough bathrooms downtown."

Marketing consultant Lynn Parsons, right, was one day away from leasing office space in the Yeon building on SW 5th, where Bikini coffee is now renting the first floor retail space.

"But I decided I needed to see how this business would impact the building," Parsons says. "I mostly work with men, so to have my clients know I'm in the building or for them to come to the building would be really inappropriate."

The Yeon building is owned by landlord John Beardsley, who recently cooperated with the city to build an Emergency women's shelter in his building on NW 5th and Burnside. Beardsley is yet to return a call for comment.

"It's fine to wear bikinis on the beach or in dance clubs," says Sermin Yesilada, also an interior designer, center. "I wear bikinis on the beach, but this is not an appropriate business to have in the downtown core. This building also houses the Friends of the Library, the Friends of the Columbia Gorge, and Multnomah Public Defenders. When I first started work I did dress sexier and showed more skin, but I was not taken seriously as a professional."

"I think it's silly," says Carmel Detrich, left, who works in the shop. "There's so many strip clubs in Portland and nobody's protesting against them, also, they're bringing in quite a bit of business, because people see them and then come in and buy a coffee."

"If they don't like our coffee shop, then maybe don't look this way when they walk past," says Kirsten Orr, right, who also works there. "They say they're for women's rights, but they don't seem to support or respect our rights to work here. We work really hard to stay in shape and I think what we're doing is just like Hooters. But I don't see these ladies protesting at Jantzen Beach."

This morning, three women and ten men came to the shop during a 20 minute period.

"I don't see nothing wrong with it," said construction worker Tyler Handforth, who was working nearby. "These women are just doing their jobs and should be allowed to continue."

"I'm just a curiosity seeker," said Julie, who works locally in a Media company but declined to give her last name. "My boyfriend was in here yesterday and he said it was a little creepy, so I brought my friends along to check it out. I feel like it's a little bit of a disconnect between coffees and bikinis. It would be like connecting lemonade with tigers. It's so random."

"We were curious too," said Andy, one of Julie's co-workers. "And we wanted to see how far they were going to take their concept. I think they're going to get a lot of unpaid-for media out of this."

Both Julie and Andy agreed that the coffee was not the best in town.

"I'm not sure I'd come back for the coffee or the talent, to be honest," said Andy. "But there's a barista down at Peet's on Broadway who I'd love to see in this concept."

COLD WAR!!! Bush squares up to Putin over Georgia.

ROID RAGE!!! Allegedly. Although why else would a Swedish wrestler toss away his bronze medal in disgust?

PORTLAND A QUIRKY CITY!!! Says the Chicago Sun Times.

I WON'T LIKE MONDAY!!! 19-year-old Peaches Geldof faces a showdown with father Bob after marrying her American boyfriend of four weeks.

TYRA GOES TRANNY!!! The new run of America's Next Top Model will reportedly feature "a guy, pretending to be a girl," according to the story. Apart from Tyra Banks, who is NOT a tranny, according to spokespeople.

Good Day.

DOUBLE SHEATHED SAMURAI SWORD: Cyclist arrested...

The court has overturned the February conviction of a man for carrying a concealed ninja sword in a Critical Mass rally. According to the appeals opinion, James M.Turner was riding his bicycle in a Critical Mass rally, when a Portland Police Officer riding next to him saw "three to four inches" of a sword handle wedged between Turner's back and his backpack. The officer testified in court that there was no doubt in his mind that the object was a "sword or [something] similar."

According to the transcript, the officer asked Turner, "What's sticking out of your neck?"

Turner replied that it was a "ninja sword," and the officer motioned for him to pull over. After Turner stopped, the officer removed the sword, which was sheathed, from between Turner's body and his backpack. As he removed it, he discovered the sword was contained in a "double sheath, where one sword goes in one end, one in the other." At the time the officer removed the first sword, he had not seen and was not aware of the second sword. He arrested Turner for carrying a concealed weapon based on his discovery of the second sword.

The appeals court ruled, however, that the officer did not have probable cause to stop Turner for carrying a concealed second sword, based on their conversation about the first sword, which did not constitute an official "stop." However, the interaction became an official "stop," the court ruled, when the officer motioned to the rider to pull over.

Under Article I, section 9 of the constitution, a "stop" must be justified by the officer's reasonable suspicion that a person has committed or is about to commit a crime. Because the officer lacked reasonable suspicion to believe that defendant was carrying a concealed weapon at the time that he motioned for Turner to pull over, he unlawfully stopped him, and the trial court erred in failing to suppress evidence of the second sword, ruled the appeals court.

Bikeportland readers: You know what to do.

"Many appreciate what a 24 hour downtown convenience store brings, but there are also concerns about the element that has been attracted to the stores," says Saltzman. "But it is my hope that we're turning a new leaf here, and that the relationship between Doug Peterson and the downtown public safety community will improve."

In addition to withdrawing his threat of a lawsuit against the city, Peterson has signed a month-to-month lease with eight conditions, number 3 of which requires him to call the Portland Business Alliance's private security firm if there are any problems:

1. Cooperating with the DA's office on prosecution.
2. No sales of individually packaged malt alcohol or single cigarettes.
3. Report to the PPB and downtown Clean & Safe anyone engaged in illegal behavior.
4. Rules of conduct for customers and trespass agreements for non-compliance.
5. Provide onsight security at 922 SW Morrison. (Hire a rent-a-cop? prediction, Portland Patrol Services, Inc?...)
6. Owner, store mgr + security to attend a monthly meeting with police and deputy district attorney.
7. Compliance with health regs.
8. Creation and compliance with good neighbor agreement.

"I'd just like to thank Commissioners for their faith that I can do this and I will do this and their faith in small business," said Peterson.

Gentrification has been an ongoing part of the debate, particularly the role of Brooks Brothers convenience store in calling for Peterson's eviction. Commissioner Nick Fish called out the Brooks Brothers assistant manager who emailed the mayor, writing: "I fail to see why a disgusting store such as Peterson's is able to stay open. It caters to the dregs of society."

"I certainly hope that that does not reflect the official corporate policy of Brooks Brothers," said Fish. "And I would remind the person who sent that email that the so-called 'dregs' of the city include homeless veterans. And I think it is a sad day when we use disparaging language about people who, through no fault of their own, are homeless on the streets of Portland."

In other words? Brooks Brothers can eat it.

Bombs on Blogspot: While Russia and Georgia square off on the ground, hackers attack a new frontier: Georgia's internet - as the government's sites crumble, the military switch to using Google blogs. Excerpt from current post:

"09:12 Four civilian cars with murdered passengers are reported to have been seen in the village of Tedotsminda, Gori district."

"Riddled with Cancer": The U.S. detains immigrants for months and denies them adequate health care. Sometimes, they die.

Pink Dollars: Gay tourists drop more and more dollars in Isreal, pissing off the Orthodox population.

Hand Up: Oregon child services help mothers who are victims of domestic violence.

Out of the East: Federal education funding puts $18 million toward getting rural Oregonians to college.

BURGER BATH!!! Burger King employees in Ohio get fired after one of them takes a bath in the store's sink.

HOME NEUTERING!!! A man in Des Moines is arrested after trying to cut his dog, Pooper's, balls off with a razor blade.

FAUXLYMPICS!!! The Chinese artificially enhanced 55 seconds of fireworks footage during the opening ceremony. They also lip-synched a 9-year-old's national anthem because the real singer had crooked teeth.

CHIP'N'CHEERFUL!!! A British couple is forced to order 50 portions of fish and chips at their wedding, after caterer goes AWOL. Guess which newspaper has the scoop.

And with all that I almost forgot, there's still a war on in Georgia.

Good day.

As predicted, the mayor's Street Access for Everyone oversight committee listening session this afternoon was separated into ten groups, each attended by a facilitator who presented back to the larger group at the end. This made it difficult for me, as a reporter, to listen to all of what was being said, and several of those who spoke left before I could get their names. Nevertheless...

The chief architect of the sit/lie law, Mike Kuykendall of the Portland Business Alliance, showed up and sat at a table opposite the law's chief opponent, Sisters Of The Road's community organizer Patrick Nolen. Nolen pointed out that 133 of the, so far 159 total police contacts associated with the law have been made by two officers paid for by the PBA; Dobson, and Cox.

In addition, Nolen's survey of 169 people, asking how they had been treated by the officer enforcing the law, shows that 15 said "friendly," 28 "firm but fair," 32 "unfriendly," 46 "rude or disrespectful," and 22 "aggressive." 29 didn't respond. 2 specific people mentioned Dobson and Cox as either rude or specifically targeting them.

The majority of those present appeared to be testifying against the ordinance, but I did manage to catch up with two retail employees who were big supporters. Read all about the meeting after the jump.

Outside, members of Sisters of the Road's Civic Action Group are handing out fliers asking people which of six people in a sequence of photographs would be cited under the sit/lie law. Here's Dale Hardway:

There's a picture of a woman sitting on the sidewalk, then an unlicensed A-board and some unlicensed sidewalk cafe tables. Of course, all the pictures CAN be cited under the ordinance. But only the woman sat on the sidewalk actually will be.

"I almost didn't come," says Andrew Landers, a homeless youth. "I just remembered all the city hall meetings and figured it wouldn't be worth it."

I predicted the discussion would be broken up into small groups. Correct. I also predicted that the PBA's vice president of downtown services, Mike Kuykendall, wasn't going to be here. He is.

"In order to stay productive, the listening shouldn't turn into a debate. We're not really here to debate the merits of the ordinance, but for each person to speak about their experience of the ordinance," says the mayor's public advocate, Jeremy Van Keuren. "Each person should say what they have to say without humiliating anyone."