I spent the morning out at IKEA waiting for the front doors to finally swing open. Talk about Yellow (and blue) Fever . . . People camped out starting on MONDAY to get inside . . . the first 100 people in got free furniture . . . then several hundred after that got goodies like IKEA logo beach balls, gift cards . . . .

I will say this, as someone who has camped out for a few things in my life (including student tickets to the Civil War Football Game) the people at IKEA had control over their line. People were given numbers when they arrived at the campsite and if you were out of line for more than ten minutes, it was to the back with you. No cases of one person holding a spot for thirty people . . . . very civilized, very contained . . .

The parking lot was a party in the hours leading up to doors open. A ski team did acrobatics on trampolines, music and dancers performed . . . . definitely stirred up the excitement.

Then, the coups de gras . . . instead of cutting a ribbon . . . Mayor Tom Potter helped saw a LOG in half (old Sweedish custom, supposedly gives the new business good luck) . . . don't tell anyone, but they couldn't cut the wood . . . the store manager had to snap it in half with his hands . . .

When we finally got to the point where customers got to go inside I took a stroll through the line . . . It wrapped halfway around the massive building (if you haven't seen it, it's about the size of a Costco or Wal Mart or Target . . . ) and that line was three or four deep the whole way . . . several THOUSAND people all waiting to check out the store . . . .

Love Broadway but want to save the cost of a plane ticket, hotel room and theatre seats? Swing by Tony Starlight's July 23rd at 7 PM for "Impromptu Cabaret" . . . the ten dollar cover charge buys you a seat for this fantastic evening of entertainment by local talent and goes to benefit Portland's own Staged! musical theatre company. Reservations and info: 503-517-8584

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If you've got an event coming up let me know about it . . . colby.reade@kxl.com

It all started with a warrant. Officers were looking for 28-year-old Matthew Hastings on drug and weapons charges. They believed they found him at a home in Vancouver . . . someone inside made verbal contact with the police but he wouldn't come outside.

After an hour and a half, gunfire erupted from the home. One bullet hit Corporal Chris Leblanc (a veteran SWAT team member) in the armpit sending him to the hospital. Follow up reports indicate that the bullet broke Leblanc's rib . . . .were it not for the bone he likely would have suffered fatal injuries.

As bullets flew, the man inside barricaded the doors, sealing himself and an unidentified hostage in.


The news of Leblanc's injury and anticipated recovery didn't reach the crime scene until about 6 hours (12:30) after the whole incident began. For those hours, everyone on scene contemplated the worst and a collective sigh of relief erupted from those on hand when word finally came through that he was OK

The strange thing about this standoff in particular was the time frame. I've covered several situations like this one and never has one gone on with no change for 12 hours. In fact, I chatted with some other reporters at the scene and no one could recall a situation like this that lasted such a long time.

As the minutes turned into hours and the afternoon pushed into evening, those of us on hand were forced to wade through the extreme tension in the air. Worry about the condition of the hostage coupled with a lack of information for sake of protecting the tactical strategy compounded on everyone . . . none more so, perhaps, then Abia Hastings.

After seeing her husbands name appear on the news, she rushed to the scene in hopes of being able to comfort him and help end the standoff. Unfortunately, she found no such luck and was told to stay behind the yellow tape like everyone else.

While she paced anxiously, I got a little insight into the man believed to be holding officers at bay. She told me he was likely scared . . . both of the officers and a return trip to prison. He apparently suffers from mental illness and his behavior suggested to her that he was off his medication (others who know him speculated possible drug use).

The second piece of uplifting news came through just about seven PM. The hostage was released. We were told he had two gunshot wounds to his stomach . . . he's in the hospital and should be OK.

At the time I am writing this blog, the suspect is still barricaded inside the home and is showing no signs of giving up. Officers throughout the day have said they are not putting a timeline on this negotiation . . . . they will stay as long as it takes to see it come to a peaceful end.

7-12-2007

In May of this year, the Portland City Council voted for a safe streets initiative . . . it included day programs for the homeless, benches and other facilities . . . it also came with a sidewalk blocking ordinance.

A month later, the City Council voted to put that initiative on hold, temporarily, until certain facilities could be implemented. Showers and lockers for the homeless . . . as well as a public bathroom open 24/7.

After weighing multiple options including local parks and parking garages, the Mayor's Office landed on City Hall.

Reps from Tom Potter's office say a proposal is on its way to City Council to try opening the doors to the first floor of City Hall 24/7 so anyone can use the bathroom at any time for a trial period of six months. The pilot program would determine traffic, usage, additional costs and so forth (they can't be sure at this point how much use the area will get). Presumably, if all goes well, the program would become permanent.

Initial estimates speculate it will cost about an extra $46,000 over six months to open the bathrooms 24/7. That money is NOT budgeted for, but I am told they can move money from another fund that is CURRENTLY being used to install benches and open other public facilities to cover the cost.

The people I spoke with say this is a much safer option than other facilities because the security around City Hall would discourage the unsavory behaviors typically associated with public bathrooms such as drug use or prostitution.

Reps from the Mayor's office tell me the wheels are already in motion for the proposal to take effect . . . likely a thumbs up or down vote by City Council will come within a week and the facility could be running all day everyday within two weeks.

It's hot out. Really hot. So hot, I'm sweating like I just finished an hour on the stairmaster . . . and I'm standing perfectly still IN THE SHADE.



Despite the heat, Ron Carlson with Tri County Temp, is lugging a 24 foot ladder off of his truck. A customer's AC is leaking and it's up to Carlson to climb the outside of the house and fix the problem.



This is only one of dozens of problems he'll see in the next 72 hours. As with any heat wave, phones are ringing off the hook back at his office with customers hoping to get AC in their homes.



Last night, Carlson didn't get to go home until around 11PM . . . he started working at 7 in the morning.



But Carlson is all smiles. He says he enjoys his job which is why he's been doing it for 18 years.



But the work isn't all smiles. Carlson says the heat makes people "grumpy" which means he frequently faces cranky customers . . . who only get crankier if he can't fix the problem right away (a common example is if he doesn't have the right part in his truck . . . ). But, in 18 years, no one's ever gone beyond grumbling and EVERYONE's grateful when the cool air starts flowing once again.


It's dirty, hot, hard work . . . but Carlson likes it . . . he likes making people's lives a bit more comfortable.

7-2-2007

I grew up in Beaverton and still live there today. I have driven the area of Walker and 185th more times than I can fathom and NEVER in my wildest dreams did I imagine that, nestled between an Applebees and a Parr Lumber, there sits the home of some 250+ Macaque monkeys.

Sure enough . . . at the OHSU Primate Research Center, hundreds of these furry guys roam around in an outdoor enclosure that rivals any zoo setup I've seen. Lush green grass . . . climbing trees and platforms . . . . sprinklers . . . . it's like the Plaza of monkey houses.

I got a chance to check the place out at the 34th birthday party of Trapper . . . the former dominant male of the troop (34 is the human equivalent of 102).

The monkeys live in an enclosure where scientists study their behavior (Trapper has not been subjected to drug tests or experiments according to Kris Coleman who heads the Behavioral Studies section). And yes . . . she technically IS a Keeper of Trapper . . . or Trapper Keeper for short (insert rim shot here)


For the birthday party, the 250 monkeys were treated to birthday cakes made of Jello and Whip Cream . . . a few popcorn balls and fresh bamboo. The bamboo was the biggest hit of the day while the banana shaped pinata drew little interest (and no, I'm not kidding on that last one . . . .they really had a giant banana shaped pinata . . . I'm ordering one of my own for my next birthday).

Side notes: The guest of honor laid low for most of his party, preferring to stake out a spot on one of the prime trees while his guests dove (literally) into the treats.

250 monkeys . . . in a several hundred square foot enclosure . . . in the July sun . . . it's an aroma you cannot imagine.