The Godzilla of Gossip.

[November 3rd, 2004] * Some enviros have a new nickname for David Bragdon: "Darth." The Metro president and his right-hand man, Councilor Rod Park, want to scrap the tri-county agency's controversial, eight-years-in-the-making effort to restrict development along waterways to save streams and fish, replacing it with an amorphous and unfunded alternative that relies on incentives, voluntary programs and partnerships with cities and towns. Bragdon says several local officials and developers opposed the stream protection plan, but the Audubon Society's Mike Houck says he's never felt so betrayed. At press time the Metro prez had brought in ex-guv John Kitzhaber to plead his case before the Metro council. Stay tuned....

* Tongues are wagging in the Kings Hill neighborhood, the once and apparently future home of a certain former governor. Seems in the middle of October a limited liability company that has the same address as the offices of Goldschmidt (whoops) Imeson Carter plunked down $1.35 million in cash for a palatial residence.

* Big changes at the Portland Business Alliance, as new boss Sandy McDonough undoes the empire built by her controversial predecessor, Kim Kimbrough. Government-affairs director Mike Salsgiver left a couple of weeks ago, having lost out in the race for Kimbrough's job. County lobbyist John Rakowitz and economic development officer Bruce Starr, a Hillsboro state senator, have also left staff positions and will do contract work. The big winner in the shakeup is City Hall lobbyist Greg Peden, now in charge of government affairs and economic development--and rumored to be on Tom Potter's short list for a top staff position.

* A recent study by the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University tracks the decline of The Oregonian's commitment to arts coverage, citing "massive cuts" in staff and a reduced presence in the paper. Charts show a drastically shrinking arts newshole, and the problem is acknowledged by Oregonian honchos and others. Of 18 newspapers the study looked at, only one other, the fading San Francisco Examiner, cut its arts coverage more than the O.

* Four years ago, a drug dealer named Jimmy Bryant did a 13-month stint in jail, facing the death sentence for a grisly double-murder that he in all probability did not commit. Instead, in a Perry Mason moment, Multnomah County prosecutors realized their star witness who'd fingered Byrant was actually the killer--Humberto "Maco" Castro Soler Jr.--and forced him to plead to a 25-year sentence (see "Swimming with Sharks," WW, Nov. 17, 2003). Bryant sued, alleging wrongful imprisonment and that prosecutors screwed up. Last month, however, federal Judge Michael Mosman tossed it--meaning Byrant will get nothing.

* At a time when it seems like police are putting the kibosh on a different homeless camp each week (see page 11), it seems a good time to celebrate--and pitch in for--the 25th anniversary of the homeless-services nonprofit Sisters of the Road Cafe. So go to the Roseland Theater from 6 to 9 pm Monday, Nov. 8: It's a party with great live music, as well as a fundraiser. Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.

* It's a snap: A selection of Polaroid photographs taken by Portland artist Shayla Hason will be published in the latest issue of a hip youth-culture artists' bible, the twice-yearly Hollywood magazine Look-Look. An 8-by-8-foot grid of Hason's photographs will also be exhibited at a SoHo gallery this weekend.