Does This Make Me Less Of A Man?

Fast, Furious, Educational

I had a chance to take a Willamette Jet Boat tour last Sunday.  My son loved the fast speed of the boat and, of course, he loved when the driver made us spin out.  Yes, we got a little wet but not as wet as the poor passengers a few rows back.  But what most impressed me was all the information that came along with the trip.  I've lived here 13 years now and had no idea all the history and industry you can still find along the river.  You can see remnants of the old ferry system that connected both sides of Portland and petroglyphics left behind by Native Americans down by Willamette Falls.  You can also see exactly where workers were Shanghai'd from an all night bender only to wake up on ships miles out at sea. You can also see the remains of too many closed up factories and stories of too many jobs lost to China.  What an education.  Two hours on the river flew by on a beautiful fall day.  The bad news is, it was the last ride of the season. If this sounds good to you, check it out next spring.  Just keep "Willamette Jet Boat" on your to-do list.  It was really worth it.

~Rebecca

PS--They did not pay me to say this.  :)

Council United in Effort to Block Officer's Re-hire

For the second time a state employment agency has reviewed the firing of Officer Ronald Frashour and ordered he be re-hired with back pay. And for the second time Portland mayor Sam Adams has promise to fight the order, up to and including the state Supreme Court.

It's the latest round over the controversial man whose AR-15 bullet pierced the back of Aaron Campbell on the night of January 29th, 2010. Ronald Frashour's high powered rifle ended Campbell's life and created a firestorm of controversy. Campbell, it turned out, was unarmed, although Frashour testified he pulled the trigger because it appeared Campbell may have been reaching for a gun in his waistband.

Although a Multnomah County grand jury later cleared Frashour of any criminal wrongdoing in Campbell's death, a police review found that he had violated bureau policy and he was fired. Since that time the police union has fought the termination, and two employee relations boards have ordered that he be reinstated. Mayor Adams has resisted and promised to appeal.

This latest round will require the approval of the city council, and so far Adams has the support of Nick Fish, Amanda Fritz and Randy Leonard. Only former police commissioner Dan Saltzman has not spoken out, although he has been out of the office recently. In a quote to The Oregonian, Randy Leonard admitted there is little chance such an appeal will succeed, but they feel it necessary to take that chance. Fellow commissioner Amanda Fritz has promised that, should Frashour ultimately be given his job back, it may be time to go to the State Legislature and ask lawmakers to consider changing rules that make it nearly impossible to fire a police officer.

KXL Debate Watch Party

The first Presidential debate of the 2012 election is coming up on Wednesday, October 3rd. Would you like to watch it with us, here at KXL?  We are looking for people who can react and give us opinions on what they think.  Different debates cover different things and the topic of this one is domestic policy, something that effects us all.  That's why it doesn't matter if you're a fan of Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, or no one, we'd love to have you in attendance.

Why I'm Still Thinking About Gun Control

Fluoride Approved, 8 People Kicked out of City Council

City council was a heated place to be on Wednesday as commissioners voted 5-0 to approve fluoridating Portland's water supply, likely by mid-2014. A large crowd booed and heckled council members as they explained their reason for the vote, and mayor Sam Adams ordered at least eight citizens be removed by security.

It was the end to a debate that has raged for much of the last month, with fluoride advocates and opponents sparring in the media and on city sidewalks. The pro side believes adding fluoride will mean healthier teeth and lower health expenses, especially for the city's poor and under-privileged. Those opposed call fluoride a poison that builds in the human body, responsible for any number of maladies, especially amongst children.

Every commissioner said they'd received thousands of phone calls and e-mails from people on both sides of the issue, but all said they'd been convinced the health benefits outweigh the risks, and that cost gains from a healthier population will more than offset the expense of adding fluoride to the water.

It's unlikely this is the end of the debate. Between now and whenever the water bureau can begin pumping fluoride into the system, voters will likely attempt to gather enough signatures to put the issue on a ballot. Stay tuned to FM News 101 and KXL.com for all the latest on this continuing story, and be sure to sound off on our Facebook page.

~Chris Brown