

The Village Alternative: Andrew Heben and Tim McCormick Have a Democratic Solution to Houselessness
By Thacher Schmid In recent years, American homelessness has been on the rise again. In 2015, West Coast cities declared homeless “emergencies.” Since 2017, “Point in Time” counts have risen; some measures see unhoused populations at all-time highs. Now, due to Covid-19, the numbers could … Continue reading The Village Alternative: Andrew Heben and Tim McCormick Have a Democratic Solution to Houselessness

An American Tragedy: The Colorful Life and Shocking Death of Ovid Neal III
On the dark streets of a college town, two teenagers hoisted a rock and ended a man’s life. His loved ones want to know when we’ll finally value the lives of homeless people. Continue reading An American Tragedy: The Colorful Life and Shocking Death of Ovid Neal III

Emancipator releases ‘Mountain of Memory’
Portland-based electronic/down-tempo producer Emancipator, a.k.a. Doug Appling, just released his sixth full-length album, “Mountain of Memory,” on Loci Records. I play violin, viola and mandocaster on two songs, “Iron Ox,” which was released as a single, and “Awakenings.” It hit … Continue reading Emancipator releases ‘Mountain of Memory’

Rick Turoczy publishes unedited text of Willamette Week Q&A on blog
A week after Willamette Week published this Q&A, the source, Rick Turoczy of Portland Incubator Experiment, took the unusual step of putting the entire text of the Q&A on his blog, Silicon Florist. During the late stages of the editorial … Continue reading Rick Turoczy publishes unedited text of Willamette Week Q&A on blog

Rick Turoczy Says the Myth of the Unflappable Entrepreneur Is “All Bullshit”
The godfather of Portland startups talks about what’s special in Rose City tech—and what it must improve. To Portland startup founder Mara Zepeda, he’s the “north star of Portland’s entrepreneurship scene”—or just “Yoda.” To Wieden + Kennedy managing director Renny Gleeson, he’s … Continue reading Rick Turoczy Says the Myth of the Unflappable Entrepreneur Is “All Bullshit”

Is Oregon Home to the Next Billion-Dollar Company?
A “unicorn” is a company that sells for $1 billion. In May, an Oregon company almost did just that. By Thacher Schmid |Published July 3 Updated July 3 This spring, Oregon almost saw its first unicorn. A “unicorn” is a company that … Continue reading Is Oregon Home to the Next Billion-Dollar Company?

Oversight Questions Arise as Portland Pays to Clean Up Homeless Campsites
This past Valentine’s Day, Lillian Blackwolf was sleeping in her tent in a place locals call the Pillars, named for the concrete columns that hold up the Interstate 205 overpass above the Springwater Corridor. That’s when a Rapid Response Bio … Continue reading Oversight Questions Arise as Portland Pays to Clean Up Homeless Campsites

Techfest NW speaker previews: Blockchain, smart cities, sports tech, AI
Ric Shreves Says Cryptocurrency Could be the Key to Providing Aid to Refugees. Hear Why at TechfestNW. When one thinks of helping refugees, cryptocurrency is not the first thing that comes to mind. But Ric Shreves, a senior technology advisor … Continue reading Techfest NW speaker previews: Blockchain, smart cities, sports tech, AI

Dispatch from Tech Island: The Wild Ideas and Strange Lingo of Techfest NW
“It’s kind of bad-ass.” One pitcher actually described his company this way. What was the takeaway from the eighth annual TechfestNW and its largest-ever crop of 129 startups seeking prizes at PitchfestNW? In a word: breathless. In two: tech business. … Continue reading Dispatch from Tech Island: The Wild Ideas and Strange Lingo of Techfest NW

East Forest x Ram Dass
I play violin and viola on the 2019 album East Forest x Ram Dass, a collaboration between the electronic musician and producer and the legendary spiritual teacher. The first release from the album hit #5 on Billboard New Age and … Continue reading East Forest x Ram Dass

In Portland, a neighborhood watch group stirs debate over how to respond to the homeless
The Montavilla neighborhood is a place just about anybody might want to live in. It has an “almost suburban” feel, a city website notes, but it’s near downtown Portland, with a population that’s more diverse than the city as a … Continue reading In Portland, a neighborhood watch group stirs debate over how to respond to the homeless

Illegal Airbnbs Could Take 1,500 Rentals Off Market
By Thacher Schmid and Cornelius Swart Illegal short-term rentals posted on Airbnb may keep more than 1,500 units out of the Portland housing market—even after the city’s much-publicized clampdown on Airbnb takes effect this winter. The finding comes at a … Continue reading Illegal Airbnbs Could Take 1,500 Rentals Off Market

Oregon Grinders & Biohackers
A Growing Number of Oregonians Love Technology So Much They Make It Part of Their Bodies It’s called biohacking. It’s (mostly) legal. And a small but fervent group of Oregon men are installing chips with self-surgery. James Newman, 37, looks … Continue reading Oregon Grinders & Biohackers

TechFest NW 2018: Nut milk bags, thought leaders, politicos & gender problems
The following are blog posts from my coverage of TechFest 2018 for Willamette Week: Patagonia’s CEO is Coming to Portland to Talk About the Company’s Crusade Against Climate Change and the Trump Administration How well do profits mesh with progressive … Continue reading TechFest NW 2018: Nut milk bags, thought leaders, politicos & gender problems

Our Frozen Dead: Hypothermic ‘Domicile Unknown’ Deaths
A growing number of deaths the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates are among people experiencing homelessness. When Michael Jensen was found dead in his tent, his feet were sticking out of the tent, and he was lying on his … Continue reading Our Frozen Dead: Hypothermic ‘Domicile Unknown’ Deaths