Murmurs

* Last week, City Commish Jim Francesconi shot down a City Council resolution opposing a pre-emptive strike on Iraq, saying he couldn't support a vote on "issues we can't control." That logic didn't hold with David Wu and Earl Blumenauer, the two Democratic reps whose congressional districts include Portland. Wu, while stressing he didn't want to second-guess the council, told WW that "when folks care passionately about issues of vital interest, it may be important to speak out, even if it's not in the purview of that branch of government." Blumenauer, who spent 10 years on the council, was more adamant: "I think this issue with Iraq is one of the areas where local action--from citizens, churches, city councils, school boards--is making a difference around the country. I went to the City Council because I wanted to let them know that the resolution was right and would help us in Congress."

* Insert Your Name Here: The city-run performance space next to the Schnitz that houses the Newmark, Winningstad and Brunish theaters (FYI, the official name is the PCPA New Theater Building) will be crowned with a flashier moniker in the near future. An as-yet-unnamed donor has coughed up enough cash for his or her name to adorn the hall and a nice stab at immortality, to boot.

* Striking another blow for neocolonialism, Nike last week announced that it had signed an agreement to be the "exclusive footwear, apparel and equipment sponsor" for the Mexican National Soccer teams. Carlos García de la Cadena, general manager of Nike Mexico, says, "As a Mexican, I feel very proud of the new partnership that starts today between Nike and our national soccer team." What he failed to say was that the Beaverton company booted out the team's former Mexican manufacturer, Athletica Mexico, to get the job.

* Junki Yoshida has become the first Port of Portland commissioner to have his own cooking show. On Jan 31, Yoshida will join KGW weatherman Dave Salesky for a weekly show, which will air on KGW Fridays at noon, with reruns on Sunday mornings. Yoshida, whose crumbs-to-caviar biography is a big seller in Japan, owns businesses ranging from an air-freight company to a slice of the upscale meat market El Gaucho, but he's best known for his barbecue sauces, now marketed by Heinz.

* The rehabilitation of Andy Wiederhorn took an odd twist last week when the Wall Street Journal made a puzzling reference to the youthful Portland financier. Seems the proposed abolition of taxes on dividends prompted Wiederhorn's recent $75,000 gift to the cash-strapped Portland Interscholastic League. But Wiederhorn, who is still under investigation by the feds for his role in the collapse of Portland pension-fund manager Capital Consultants Inc. (a point the Journal omitted), told the paper that his accountant may have overestimated the windfall. Now, Wiederhorn lamented, "I'm not going to be able to contribute to other charities this year that I otherwise would have."

* The folks from Portland Organic Wrestling headed down to Park City, Utah, for a little street theater/promotion and apparently turned a few heads at the Sundance Film Festival, getting some airtime on National Public Radio and, word is, some footage in an upcoming video release from lo-fi film company Troma.

* Speaking of Sundance.... In the category of Best Unconfirmed Rumor: The indie film festival is considering relocating, and Stumptown is on the list of potential venues.

WWeek 2015